to walk with difficulty in a way that looks as if you are about to fall

She tottered unsteadily down the stairs in her high-heeled shoes. 她穿着高跟鞋跌跌撞撞地走下楼来。

Compare: stagger verb (MOVE)teeter

to shake and move from side to side

Several tall piles of books tottered and fell. 堆得高高的几摞书摇晃了几下就倒了下来。

(of a company, government, etc.) to become weaker and less likely to carry on existing

The industry has tottered from crisis to crisis now for two years. 两年来，该产业危机不断，风雨飘摇。