Definitions for HESITATE
ˈhɛz ɪˌteɪthes·i·tate

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:4.0 / 2 votes

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"

WiktionaryRate this definition:2.0 / 1 vote

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 DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. hesitate

   To hesitate is to pause or delay an action due to uncertainty or feeling unsure about a situation. It can also refer to the act of being indecisive or unwilling to make a decision immediately.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:2.0 / 2 votes

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 DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

1. 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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. Randy Kessler:

   Think with your brain and not with your heart, it’s easier to prevent problems than to escape them. Hesitate and don’t rush in, but think and consider the worse case scenario and what happens if anything goes wrong. Love makes you do things you don’t always think through.

2. Robert Seymour:

   He was willing to take controversial stands on a number of things as a member of our church -- being against the death penalty, affirming gays and lesbians, protesting nuclear proliferation, he was one who has been willing to speak out on issues that many might hesitate to take a stand on.

3. Vladimir Putin:

   We see how other countries are open about their geopolitical claims, and do not hesitate to interfere openly in the affairs of independent states while actively expanding and improving their military arsenals, they spend many times more than we spend (on arms). We can and must respond to this challenge.

4. 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.

5. Donald Trump:

   In Jack Atkins final moments on earth, Travis did not run -- Jack Atkins didn't know what it was to run. Jack Atkins did not hesitate.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=HESITATE
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Hesitate
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=HESITATE
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesitate
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HESITATE
7. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=HESITATE
8. ^ Usage in printed sources
   https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=HESITATE