- pronunciation:
- he
zih
teIt
- features:
- Word History
| part of speech: |
verb |
| inflections: |
hesitates, hesitating, hesitated |
| definition 1: |
to stop or pause because of not feeling sure.
My dog hesitated when I gave him a command he did not know.- synonyms:
- falter
- similar words:
- balk, halt, pause, stall
|
| definition 2: |
to be slow to act because of not feeling very sure or willing.
He hesitated to try out for the football team because he had heard how much they practice.- similar words:
- balk, delay, falter, procrastinate, stall
|
| related words: |
stammer, stumble, wait |
|
|
| derivation: |
hesitatingly (adv.) |
Hesitate is from a Latin word that means "to stick, cling, or hold back."