different between hesitation vs hesitate

English

Alternative forms

• hæsitation (chiefly archaic) [18^th–19^th C.]

Etymology

From Latin haesit?ti?nem, accusative singular of haesit?ti? (“hesitating, stammering”), from haesit? (“hesitate”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /h?z??te???n/
• Rhymes: -e???n

Noun

hesitation (countable and uncountable, plural hesitations)

1. An act of hesitating
2. doubt; vacillation.

3. A faltering in speech; stammering.

Synonyms

• (act of hesitating): cunctation, hold-up; see also Thesaurus:delay
• (doubt, vacillation): irresolution, wavering

Related terms

• hesitate

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• hæsitate (archaic)

Etymology

From Latin haesitatus, past participle ofhaesitare, intensive of haerere (“to hesitate, stick fast;to hang or hold fast”). Compare aghast, gaze, adhere.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?h?z?te?t/

Verb

hesitate (third-person singular simple present hesitates, present participle hesitating, simple past and past participle hesitated)

1. (intransitive) To stop or pause respecting decision or action; to be in suspense or uncertainty as to a determination.
   • September 1, 1742, Alexander Pope, letter to Racine

     I shall not hesitate to declare myself very cordially, in regard to some particulars about which you have desired an answer.

2. (intransitive) To stammer; to falter in speaking.
3. (transitive, poetic, rare) To utter with hesitation or to intimate by a reluctant manner.
   • a. 1724, Alexander Pope, The Ms. at Longleat

     Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike.

Usage notes

• This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Synonyms

• (to stop respecting decision or action): demur, falter, mammer, scruple, waver; see also Thesaurus:hesitate
• (to falter in speaking): balbucinate, balbutiate, falter, hem, haw, stammer, stutter
• (to utter with hesitation): falter

Derived terms

• hesitant
• hesitation

Translations

Further reading

• hesitate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• hesitate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• hesitate at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• athetise, hatesite