Definitions for hesitate
ˈhɛz ɪˌteɪthes·i·tate

Princeton's WordNet(4.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. hesitate, waver, waffleverb

   pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

   "Authorities hesitate to quote exact figures"

2. hesitate, pauseverb

   interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

   "The speaker paused"

Wiktionary(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. hesitateverb

   To stop or pause respecting decision or action; to be in suspense or uncertainty as to a determination.

2. hesitateverb

   To stammer; to falter in speaking.

3. hesitateverb

   To utter with hesitation or to intimate by a reluctant manner.

Webster Dictionary(2.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Hesitateverb

   to stop or pause respecting decision or action; to be in suspense or uncertainty as to a determination; as, he hesitated whether to accept the offer or not; men often hesitate in forming a judgment

2. Hesitateverb

   to stammer; to falter in speaking

3. Hesitateverb

   to utter with hesitation or to intimate by a reluctant manner

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Hesitate

   hez′i-tāt, v.i. to stop in making a decision: to be in doubt: to stammer.—v.t. (rare) to express with hesitation.—ns. Hes′itancy, Hesitā′tion, wavering: doubt: stammering.—adj. Hes′itan't, hesitating.—adv. Hes′itātingly.—adj. Hes′itātive, showing hesitation.—n. Hes′itātor, one who hesitates.—adj. Hes′itātory, hesitating. [L. hæsitāre, -ātum, freq. of hærēre, hæsum, to stick.]

Matched Categories

1. • Delay

British National Corpus

1. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'hesitate' in Verbs Frequency: #678

How to pronounce hesitate?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say hesitate in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of hesitate in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of hesitate in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of hesitate in a Sentence

1. Anthony Bourdain:

   Something was missing in me, whether it was a self-image situation, whether it was a character flaw... some dark genie inside me -- that I very much hesitate to call a disease -- that led me to dope.

2. President Biden:

   I find that we can both operate in the mutual self-interest of our countries, as a new START agreement, and make it clear to Russia that we are very concerned about their behavior, whether it's Alexei Navalny, whether it's the Solar Winds or whether it's reports of bounties on the heads of Americans in Afghanistan, i have asked the agencies in question to do a thorough read for me on every one of those issues, to update me precisely where they are, and I will not hesitate to raise those issues with the Russians.

3. State Raffensperger:

   I hesitate to say this because I’m afraid someone might use it against me, but, you know, I have lost a child, and I don’t ever want to go through that again.

4. Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos:

   We will take stock of the situation on May 12. Should we see no success by then we will not hesitate to create requirements so that border controls in Europe can be extended.

5. Albert Einstein:

   The state exists for man, not man for the state. The same may be said of science. These are old phrases, coined by people who saw in human individuality the highest human value. I would hesitate to repeat them, were it not for the ever recurring danger that they may be forgotten, especially in these days of organization and stereotypes.

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