fluff one's lines

English

Verb

fluff one's lines (third-person singular simple present fluffs one's lines, present participle fluffing one's lines, simple past and past participle fluffed one's lines)

1. (drama) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: To stumble over or otherwise misspeak one's lines.
2. (figurative) To make a mistake.
   • 2013, Scott Johnson, Blues Are Up, Y Lolfa, →ISBN:

     Conway headed a Nugent effort off the line and substitute Aron Gunnarsson fluffed his lines when presented with a great chance late on.

   • 2014, Neil Collins, Make Us Dream: A Fan's View of the 2013/14 Season, Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 119:

     It could've been even worse too had Giroud not fluffed his lines twice in as many minutes.

   • 2021, Tom English, Peter Burns, This is Your Everest: The Lions, the Springboks and the Epic Tour of 1997, Birlinn Ltd, →ISBN:

     Having already fluffed his lines under the bomb that had led to Montgomery's try, Jenkins was found wanting again less than a minute after the restart.