hes|i|tate

hes|i|tate
hes|i|tate «HEHZ uh tayt», verb, -tat|ed, -tat|ing.
–v.i.
1. to hold back; feel doubtful; be undecided; show that one has not yet made up one's mind: »

I hesitated about taking his side until I knew the whole story. But it is clear enough that he has not hesitated to seize the opportunity presented by the settlers' rising and the generals' mutiny (Observer).

2. to feel that perhaps one should not; be unwilling; not wish (to): »

She hesitated to hurt the child's feelings. I hesitated to ask you; you were so busy.

3. to stop for an instant; pause: »

He hesitated before asking the question.

4. to speak with short stops or pauses; stammer. SYNONYM(S): stutter.
–v.t.
to express with indecision or unwillingness: »

Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike, Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike (Alexander Pope).

╂[< Latin haesitāre (with English -ate1) < haerēre stick fast]
–hes´i|tat´er,
–hes´i|ta´tor, noun.
Synonym Study intransitive verb. 1 Hesitate, falter, waver mean to fail to act promptly and resolutely. Hesitate emphasizes holding back because of doubt or indecision: »

I hesitated about taking the new job.

Falter suggests losing courage and hesitating or giving way after starting to act: »

He went to apologize, but faltered at the door.

Waver suggests not holding firmly to a decision or course of action: »

I said I would help but wavered when I saw how much there was to do.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • hes — hes; hes·i·tan·cy; hes·i·tant; hes·i·tant·ly; hes·i·tate; hes·i·tat·er; hes·i·tat·ing·ly; hes·i·ta·tion; hes·i·ta·tive; hes·ped; hes·pe·ria; hes·per·i·date; hes·per·id·e·an; hes·per·i·din; hes·per·id·i·um; hes·per·i·idae; hes·per·i·nos;… …   English syllables

  • hes´i|ta´tor — hes|i|tate «HEHZ uh tayt», verb, tat|ed, tat|ing. –v.i. 1. to hold back; feel doubtful; be undecided; show that one has not yet made up one s mind: »I hesitated about taking his side until I knew the whole story. But it is clear enough that he… …   Useful english dictionary

  • hes´i|tat´er — hes|i|tate «HEHZ uh tayt», verb, tat|ed, tat|ing. –v.i. 1. to hold back; feel doubtful; be undecided; show that one has not yet made up one s mind: »I hesitated about taking his side until I knew the whole story. But it is clear enough that he… …   Useful english dictionary

  • tate — ab·i·e·tate; ac·e·tate; ace·to·ac·e·tate; acon·i·tate; adap·tate; ag·i·tate; am·i·tate; am·pu·tate; an·no·tate; an·ti·pros·tate; ar·chon·tate; ar·gen·tate; aris·tate; as·par·tate; aus·cul·tate; cav·i·tate; ce·ro·tate; cho·ris·tate; co·arc·tate;… …   English syllables

  • hesitate — hes·i·tate …   English syllables

  • hesitate — hes•i•tate [[t]ˈhɛz ɪˌteɪt[/t]] v. tat•ed, tat•ing 1) to be reluctant to act because of fear, indecision, or disinclination 2) to have scruples or doubts about something 3) to stop for a moment; pause 4) to stammer 5) to have scruples or doubts… …   From formal English to slang

  • hesitate — hes|i|tate [ˈhezıteıt] v [Date: 1600 1700; : Latin; Origin: , past participle of haesitare to stick firmly, hesitate , from haerere to stick ] 1.) to pause before saying or doing something because you are nervous or not sure ▪ Kay hesitated for a …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • hesitate — hes|i|tate [ hezı,teıt ] verb intransitive ** to pause before doing something, or to do something very slowly, usually because you are nervous, embarrassed, or worried: He hesitated a moment, and then knocked on the door. hesitate to do something …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Hesitate — Hes i*tate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Hesitated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Hesitating}.] [L. haesitatus, p. p. of haesitare, intens. fr. haerere to hesitate, stick fast; to hang or hold fast. Cf. {Aghast}, {Gaze}, {Adhere}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To stop or pause …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hesitate — Hes i*tate, v. t. To utter with hesitation or to intimate by a reluctant manner. [Poetic & R.] [1913 Webster] Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike. Pope. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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