hesitant

hesitant
hesitantly, adv.
/hez"i teuhnt/, adj.
1. hesitating; undecided, doubtful, or disinclined.
2. lacking readiness of speech.
[1640-50; < L haesitant- (s. of haesitans), prp. of haesitare to falter, hesitate, equiv. to haes(us), ptp. of haerere to stick, hold fast + -it- freq. suffix + -ant- -ANT]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • hésitant — hésitant, ante [ ezitɑ̃, ɑ̃t ] adj. • 1829; les hésitans subst. 1721; de hésiter 1 ♦ (Personnes) Qui hésite, a de la peine à se déterminer. ⇒ 1. incertain, indécis, irrésolu. Être, demeurer hésitant. ⇒ perplexe. Des responsables tout hésitants. ⇒ …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Hesitant — Hes i*tant, a. [L. haesitans, p. pr. of haesitare: cf. F. h[ e]sitant. See {Hesitate}.] 1. Not prompt in deciding or acting; hesitating. [1913 Webster] 2. Unready in speech. Baxter. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hesitant — I adjective averse, balking, balky, cautious, dallying, debating, deliberate, demurring, diffident, doubtful, doubting, equivocal, faltering, fluctuating, groping, halfhearted, hesitating, hesitative, indecisive, irresolute lacking confidence,… …   Law dictionary

  • hésitant — hésitant, ante (é zi tan, tan t ) adj. Qui hésite. C est une femme toujours indécise, toujours hésitante.    Qui prononce avec difficulté. Voix hésitante …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • hesitant — 1640s, probably a back formation from HESITANCY (Cf. hesitancy), or else from L. haesitantem. Related: Hesitantly …   Etymology dictionary

  • hesitant — reluctant, loath, averse, indisposed, *disinclined Analogous words: *fearful, afraid, apprehensive: diffident, *shy, bashful: recoiling, flinching, blenching, shrinking (see RECOIL) Contrasted words: *eager, avid, keen: resolute, steadfast,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • hesitant — [adj] uncertain, waiting afraid, averse, backward, dawdling, delaying, diffident, disinclined, doubtful, doubting, faltering, half hearted, halting, hanging back, hesitating, indecisive, irresolute, lacking confidence, lazy, loath, reluctant, shy …   New thesaurus

  • hesitant — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ slow to act or speak through indecision or reluctance. DERIVATIVES hesitance noun hesitancy noun hesitantly adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • hesitant — [hez′i tənt] adj. [L haesitans: see HESITANCY] hesitating or undecided; vacillating; doubtful SYN. RELUCTANT hesitantly adv …   English World dictionary

  • hesitant — hes|i|tant [ˈhezıtənt] adj uncertain about what to do or say because you are nervous or unwilling ▪ Gail gave me a hesitant little smile. hesitant about (doing) sth ▪ They seemed hesitant about coming in. hesitant to do sth ▪ She is hesitant to… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • hesitant — adj. hesitant about (they are hesitant about signing a contract) * * * [ hezɪt(ə)nt] hesitant about (they are hesitant about signing a contract) …   Combinatory dictionary

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