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| hes·i·tate [ hézzi tàyt ] (past and past participle hes·i·tat·ed, present participle hes·i·tat·ing, 3rd person present singular hes·i·tates) |
intransitive verb |
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| Definition: |
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1. be slow to act: to be slow in doing something, or pause while doing or saying something, often because of uncertainty or reluctance
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2. not be eager to do something: to be reluctant to do or say something
 If you're puzzled by anything, don't hesitate to ask.
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| [Early 17th century. < Latin haesitat-, past participle of haesitare "stick fast" < haerere "stick"] |
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| hes·i·tat·er noun |
| hes·i·tat·ing·ly adverb |
| hes·i·ta·tive adjective |
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| Word Key: Synonyms |
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hesitate, pause, falter, stumble, waver, vacillate
CORE MEANING: to show uncertainty or indecision
hesitate to be slow in doing something, or pause while doing or saying something, as a result of uncertainty or reluctance;
He hesitated for a moment, then walked swiftly to the door.
Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions.
pause to stop doing something briefly before continuing, or to wait intentionally for a short period before doing something;
She paused for a moment to recover her self-possession.
Scarcely pausing for thought, she sat herself down at the keyboard and started to play.
falter to show a loss of confidence, especially to speak or act with hesitation;
new anchors who falter when they read the news
In such circumstances, our allies might falter in their commitment to the defense treaty.
stumble to speak or act in a halting, confused, or blundering way;
stumbling through polite replies as to her health
He stumbled over the words, not knowing how to express his sympathy.
waver to become unsure or begin to change from a previous opinion;
The defendant never wavered from his claim.
He saw the agony in her eyes and his resolve wavered.
vacillate to be indecisive or irresolute, changing between one opinion and another;
Her mind vacillated between laughing at her fears and suspecting something terrible.
The advantages the country once had have been squandered by vacillating political leadership. |
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