hesitativeadj.
/ˈhɛzᵻtətɪv/, /ˈhɛzᵻteɪtɪv/, U.S. /ˈhɛzəˌteɪdɪv/ Shewing, or given to, hesitation.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > [adjective]
twiredec888
orrathc1175
twofoldc1175
twifoldc1200
waveringc1315
uncertain1382
suspensec1440
mammeringa1450
flowing?1504
floghtering1521
vacillant1521
in a mammering1532
double-minded1552
unstaid1561
unresolute1570
unresolved?1571
staggeringa1577
frittle1579
irresolute1579
cheverel1583
off and on1583
halting1585
unsettleda1593
unresolving1599
demurring1607
waving1611
suspensive1614
hoveringa1616
startling1619
irresolved1621
hesitating1622
indetermined1628
variousa1643
branling1645
hesitant1647
non-sincere1656
hesitatious1657
humdrum1660
shuttlecock1660
yea-and-nay1672
swaying1688
interpendent1708
undetermined1718
Squadronec1720
hesitatorya1734
volanta1734
shilly-shally1734
dilly-dally1749
niffy-naffy1765
wiggle-waggle1778
undecided1779
undecisive1780
indecisive1787
conflicted1789
hesitative1795
undeciding1802
vacillating1814
yea-nay1827
demurrant1836
willy-nilly1839
shilly-shallying1842
oscillative1852
Hamletish1854
vacillatory1854
dilly-dallying1879
thistledown1897
weak-principled1913
not-quite1920
off-again on-again1923
dithery1931
havering1975
the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > [adjective] > stammering or stammered
wlaffinga1300
stammering1398
stuttinga1425
drotingc1440
stoting1567
maffling1577
hacking1583
stuttering1590
hackeda1603
doubling1605
hesitating1622
balbutient1642
hesitant1647
hesitatorya1734
hesitative1795
stammereda1858
stuttery1937
1795 Montford Castle II. 150 He stood hesitative and confused.
1865 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia V. xviii. xiv. 380 For four days more, he hung about the place, minatory, hesitative; but attempted nothing feasible.
1882 T. Mozley Reminisc. Oriel I. 152 His hesitative manner of speaking.
Derivatives
ˈhesitatively adv. in a hesitating manner.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > [adverb]
in a waver1519
uncertainly1555
waveringlya1603
irresolutely1617
unresolvedly1621
off and ona1641
hesitantly1660
humdrum1660
irresolvedly1680
undecisively1771
hesitatingly1800
on or upon the waver1806
indecisively1828
vacillatinglya1849
oscillatively1852
hesitatively1881
shakenly1890
the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > [adverb] > with a stammer
drotinglyc1440
stammeringly1545
stuttingly1548
stutteringly1563
falteringa1741
hesitatingly1800
hesitatively1881
1881 R. A. King Love the Debt xix ‘I think I'd try giving her notice again, first’, hesitatively suggested his feeble fellow-bachelor.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1795