Blunders

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. Errors made through carelessness or misunderstanding
2. Significant mistakes resulting from lack of foresight or judgement
3. Glaring miscalculations that occur due to impulsive actions or poor planning

Etymology: The noun "blunders" is simply the plural of "blunder," so its story is the story of the singular. Its most surprising thread is that the word once had little to do with error. Its oldest English relatives meant to stagger or to mix things up, and one sense even described a state of disturbance or strife. The verb took its roots from Old Norse "blunda," meaning "to shut the eyes" or "to doze," which is why English "blind" sits in the same family tree. Someone who stumbles about with eyes half closed moves clumsily, and that picture of groping through fog gradually shifted into the sense of acting without thinking. The modern meaning of a serious, careless mistake grew out of that image of blundering forward without seeing where one is going.

Synonyms: mistakes, errors, fumbles

Antonyms: successes, achievements