dodder

/ˈdɑdər/

Other forms: doddering; doddered; dodders

When you dodder, you walk in a shaky or trembling way. You're most likely to see older people dodder, moving slowing and unsteadily.

People usually dodder because of illness, disability, or the fragility of very old age. Your great Aunt Martha may dodder over to you, but then give you a powerful bear hug when she gets there. The verb dodder dates from the 1600's, and it's thought to have probably come from the Middle English daderen, "to quake or tremble."

Definitions of dodder

1. noun

   a leafless annual parasitic vine of the genus Cuscuta having whitish or yellow filamentous stems; obtain nourishment through haustoria
   types:

   Cuscuta gronovii, love vine

   leafless parasitic vine with dense clusters of small white bell-shaped flowers on orange-yellow stems that twine around clover or flax

   type of:

   vine

   a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface
2. verb

   walk unsteadily
   synonyms: coggle, paddle, toddle, totter, waddle

   type of:

   walk

   use one's feet to advance; advance by steps