I.a., to stagger, totter, reel.
I. Lit. (rare; cf.: vacillo, labo); “of drunken persons: Silenus titubans annisque meroque,” Ov. M. 11, 90: “mero somnoque gravis titubare videtur,” id. ib. 3, 608; 4, 26; 15, 331; cf.: “titubans pes,” Phaedr. 4, 14, 12: “vestigia titubata,” tottering, Verg. A. 5, 332: “titubat lingua,” stammers, stutters, Ov. A. A. 1, 598.—
II. Trop., to hesitate, falter, waver, be in suspense, be embarrassed or perplexed (class.): “Licinius titubans,” Cic. Cael. 28, 66: “cave ne titubes mandataque frangas, Hor Ep. 1, 13, 19 Orell. ad loc.: fac titubet blaeso subdola lingua sono,” Ov. A. A. 1, 598: “erubuisse, expalluisse, titubasse,” Auct. Her. 2, 5, 8: “testes, si verbo titubarint,” Cic. Fl. 10, 22: “at vide, ne titubes,” Plaut. Ps. 4, 1, 32; id. Mil. 2, 2, 93: “lacrumans titubanti animo, corde et pectore,” id. ib. 1, 1, 43: “hic omnibus titubantibus et de rebus summis desperantibus,” Nep. Eum. 9, 2: “quid agat, ne quid titubet,” Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 75: “verum illa ne quid titubet,” Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 120; Quint. 5, 7, 11: “nihil,” Cic. Att. 2, 9, 2; cf. impers. pass.: “ne quid titubetur,” Plaut. Mil. 3, 3, 70: “si quid forte titubatum est, ut fit in bello,” Cic. Fam. 12, 10, 2: “versus debilitatur, in quācumque ejus sit parte titubatum,” id. de Or. 3, 50, 192.—Hence, tĭtŭbanter , adv., loosely, totteringly.
B. Trop., hesitatingly, falteringly: “titubanter et inconstanter loqui de aliquā re,” Auct. Her. 4, 41, 53: “titubanter et strictim,” Cic. Cael. 7, 15.
