Definition of hesittate
1. hesitate [ v ] pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
Examples: : "Authorities hesitate to quote exact figures."
(Norman Kent, "The Watercolor Art of Roy M. Mason"...)
For me , these will belong more completely to their surroundings if they are conceived in this early stage , though I freely admit that I do not hesitate to add or eliminate figures on the full sheet when it serves my final purpose .
(H. A. Gleason, "Review of African language studies...)
He concludes that some changes can made in the current orthography which will appreciably improve its usefulness , but hesitates to suggest precise graphic devices to effect these changes .
(George Harmon Coxe, Error of Judgement....)
Only an occasional tip turned_out to be a phony , and , like the police , Casey had made a point of running_down all such suggestions and he did not hesitate this time .
(Vina Delmar, The Big Family....)
And though it was logical that a man who could plot mass_murder would not hesitate to speak an untruth , still it was difficult to understand why Spencer spoke only for Cromwell .
Synonyms hesitate waver waffle swiver Related Terms falter hover hover dwell_on boggle beat_around_the_bush hesitation reluctance waffler waverer doubt2. hesitate [ v ] interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
Examples:
"The speaker paused"
(William Maxwell, The Chateau....)
He did n't , but it was not really a question , and so he left the room , walked down the hall to the front of the apartment , hesitated , and then knocked lightly on the closed door of the study .
(Irving Stone, The Agony and the Ecstasy....)
He hesitated for a moment when Michelangelo asked him to disrobe , so Michelangelo gave him a piece of toweling to wrap around his loins , led him to the kitchen to take_off his clothes .
(Robert Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land....)
He hesitated .
Synonyms pause hesitate Related Terms delay hem_and_haw scruple pause wavererSimilar Spelling
hesitatehesitater
hesitator
hesitation
hesitating
Hegstad
hesitatingly