thud and blunder

English

Etymology

Spoonerism of blood and thunder.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

thud and blunder (uncountable)

1. (idiomatic) An adventure or active endeavor that is characterized by, often humorous, errors.
   • 1983, Gary Hoppenstand, Ray Broadus Browne, The Defective Detective in the Pulps, page 2:

     The hard-hitting, action packed, thud and blunder adventure fantasy was a commodity during that somber decade: Americans paid money to forget their troubles, and the pulps were willing to sell.

   • 2012, Lillian Stewart Carl, The Blue Hackle, page 5:

     Though history could still be perilous, as the thud and blunder of Jean's own, lowercase, romance had proved.

   • 2019 September 10, Phil McNulty, “'England horribly fallible in defence' against Kosovo in Euro 2020 qualifying”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     England manager Gareth Southgate will have struggled to decide whether his glass was half-full or half-empty as he reflected on a thud and blunder night against Kosovo at St Mary's