hesitate
verbcommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈhɛz.ɪ.teɪt//
- United States//ˈhɛz.ə.teɪt//
- Australia//ˈhez.ə.tæɪt//
To stop or pause respecting decision or action; to be in suspense or uncertainty as to a determination.
verb
- 1
To stop or pause respecting decision or action; to be in suspense or uncertainty as to a determination.
He hesitated whether to accept the offer or not; men often hesitate in forming a judgment.
September 1, 1742, Alexander Pope, letter to Racine I shall not hesitate to declare myself very cordially, in regard to some particulars about which you have desired an answer.
- 2
To stammer; to falter in speaking.
- 3
rareTo utter with hesitation or to intimate by a reluctant manner.
Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike.
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin haereō Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tos Latin -tus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin -tō ▲ Latin -tō Latin -itō Latin -titō Latin haesitō Latin haesitātusbor. English hesitate Borrowed from Latin haesitātus, perfect passive participle of haesitō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), intensive of haereō (“to hesitate, stick fast; to hang or hold fast”). Displaced native Old English wandian. Compare French hésiter.
Forms
- past tense
- hesitated
- past participle
- hesitated
- present participle
- hesitating
- third person singular
- hesitates
hesitate · To stop or pause respecting decision or action; to be in suspense or uncertainty as to a determination.
hesitation · An act of hesitatingHester · A female given name from Persian, of 17th century and later…heterosexual · Sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex.