The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Falter \Fal"ter\, v. t.
   To thrash in the chaff; also, to cleanse or sift, as barley.
   [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Falter \Fal"ter\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Faltered; p. pr. & vb.
   n. Faltering.] [OE. falteren, faltren, prob. from fault.
   See Fault, v. & n.]
   1. To hesitate; to speak brokenly or weakly; to stammer; as,
      his tongue falters.
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            With faltering speech and visage incomposed.
                                                  --Milton.
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   2. To tremble; to totter; to be unsteady. "He found his legs
      falter." --Wiseman.
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   3. To hesitate in purpose or action.
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            Ere her native king
            Shall falter under foul rebellion's arms. --Shak.
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   4. To fail in distinctness or regularity of exercise; -- said
      of the mind or of thought.
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            Here indeed the power of disinct conception of space
            and distance falters.                 --I. Taylor.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Falter \Fal"ter\, v. t.
   To utter with hesitation, or in a broken, trembling, or weak
   manner.
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         And here he faltered forth his last farewell. --Byron.
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         Mde me most happy, faltering "I am thine." --Tennyson.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Falter \Fal"ter\, n. [See Falter, v. i.]
   Hesitation; trembling; feebleness; an uncertain or broken
   sound; as, a slight falter in her voice.
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         The falter of an idle shepherd's pipe.   --Lowell.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

falter
    n 1: the act of pausing uncertainly; "there was a hesitation in
         his speech" [syn: hesitation, waver, falter,
         faltering]
    v 1: be unsure or weak; "Their enthusiasm is faltering" [syn:
         falter, waver]
    2: move hesitatingly, as if about to give way [syn: falter,
       waver]
    3: walk unsteadily; "The drunk man stumbled about" [syn:
       stumble, falter, bumble]
    4: speak haltingly; "The speaker faltered when he saw his
       opponent enter the room" [syn: bumble, stutter,
       stammer, falter]