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1. Dictionary

   hesitate

   /ˈhɛzɪteɪt/

   verb

   • 1. pause in indecision before saying or doing something: "she hesitated, unsure of what to say" Similar pausedelayhang backwaitshilly-shallyditherstalltemporizebe in two mindsbe in a quandarybe in a dilemmabe on the horns of a dilemmabe uncertainbe hesitantbe unsurebe doubtfulbe indecisiveequivocatevacillateoscillatewaverhave second thoughtshaverhum and hawswitherinformal:dilly-dallyblow hot and coldOpposite be resolutebe certain
   • ▪ be reluctant to do something: "he hesitated to spoil the mood by being inquisitive" Similar be reluctantbe unwillingbe disinclinedscruplehave misgivings abouthave qualms aboutbe ambivalent aboutfeel uneasy aboutshrink fromdemur fromhang back fromthink twice aboutbe diffident aboutbalk atboggle atOpposite be willing

   Word Origin early 17th century: from Latin haesitat- ‘stuck fast, left undecided’, from the verb haesitare, from haerere ‘stick, stay’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. hesitater noun
   • 2. hesitative adjective

   Scrabble Points: 11

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2. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishHESITATE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   HESITATE definition: 1. to pause before you do or say something, often because you are uncertain or nervous about it…. Learn more.

3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › hesitateHesitate Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › hesitate

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   The meaning of HESITATE is to hold back in doubt or indecision. How to use hesitate in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Hesitate.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionaryHESITATE | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

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   HESITATE meaning: 1. to pause before you do or say something, often because you are uncertain or nervous about it…. Learn more.

5. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › hesitateHesitate - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › hesitate

   To hesitate is to pause before doing something, often out of concern or worry. If you're playing basketball and have a wide-open shot but don't take it right away, you hesitated. Maybe you felt too much pressure to shoot the ball.

6. www.dictionary.com › browse › hesitateHESITATE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › hesitate

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   Hesitate definition: to be reluctant or wait to act because of fear, indecision, or disinclination. See examples of HESITATE used in a sentence.

7. www.thefreedictionary.com › hesitateHesitate - definition of hesitate by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › hesitate

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   1. To pause or wait in uncertainty: She hesitated for a second before opening the door. 2. To be slow to act, speak, or decide: "I have for many months hesitated about the propriety of allowing this, or any part of my narrative, to come before the public eye, until after my death" (Thomas De Quincey). 3.

8. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › english › hesitatehesitate verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › english › hesitate

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   verb. /ˈhezɪteɪt/ Verb Forms. Idioms. [intransitive, transitive] to be slow to speak or act because you feel uncertain or nervous. She hesitated before replying. He seemed to hesitate a second. hesitate about/over something When she hesitated over her order, the waiter gave her an impatient look.