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.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. To HESITATEverb

   To be doubtful; to delay; to pause; to make difficulty.

   Etymology: hæsito, Latin; hesiter, French.

   A spirit of revenge makes him curse the Grecians in the seventh book, when they hesitate to accept Hector’s challenge. William Broome, Notes on the Iliad.

   Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike,
   Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike;
   Alike reserv’d to blame or to commend,
   A tim’rous foe, and a suspicious friend. Alexander Pope.

Wikipedia(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. hesitate

   Hesitation or hesitating is the psychological process of pausing in the course of making a decision or taking an action, typically due to uncertainty as to the best course of action. Hesitation is described in both positive and negative terms, with some perceiving it as an indication of thoughtfulness, while others characterize it as a sign of indecisiveness or lack of the will to act. In literature, a period of hesitation on the part of a key character has sometimes been depicted as having substantial consequences.

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. Peter Marks:

   We want to make sure that if we deploy the boosters in all of the age ranges, that we truly are making a benefit outweigh any risks, we will not hesitate to drop this age range as we see this benefit outweigh the risk, and because of the EUA authority that we have, we can do that in a relatively quick amount of time.

2. Tom Mitchell:

   This was so out of character for our community, these guys didn’t hesitate to kill. They basically murdered both of them.

3. Magnus Heunicke:

   Even though we are in a good place right now, we are not out of the epidemic. And the government will not hesitate to act quickly if the pandemic again threatens important functions in our society.

4. Cody Irion:

   I had the choice of going into a massive amount of debt to keep going or change careers, i had started learning software development as a hobby and I really enjoyed it, so I didn't hesitate.

5. Shawn McGowen:

   He didn't hesitate, he said it was a great idea.

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