different between vacillate vs demure

English

Etymology

From Latin vacill?tum, supine form of vacill? (“sway, waver”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?væ.s?.le?t/, /?væ.s?.le?t/

Verb

vacillate (third-person singular simple present vacillates, present participle vacillating, simple past and past participle vacillated)

1. (intransitive) To sway unsteadily from one side to the other; oscillate.
   • 1910: Jack London, The Heathen

     Its [the barometer's] normal register in the Paumotus [the Tuamotus] was 29.90, and it was quite customary to see it vacillate between 29.85 and 30.00, or even 30.05; [...]

2. (intransitive) To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another.
   • 2004: Chris Wallace, Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage

     On the streets of Berlin, Ruth and her compatriots vacillated "between hope and despair."

Synonyms

• (to sway from one side to the other): stagger
• (to swing indecisively): blow hot and cold, waffle

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

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

Anagrams

• cavatelli, laticlave

Italian

Verb

vacillate

1. second-person plural present indicative of vacillare
2. second-person plural imperative of vacillare
3. feminine plural of vacillato

Anagrams

• cavillate

Latin

Verb

vacill?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of vacill?

English

Etymology

From Middle English demure, demwre, of uncertain formation, but probably from Old French meur (Modern French mûr) from Latin maturus. The "de-" is "of", as in "of maturity".

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??mj??(?)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /d??mj??/

Distinguish from pronunciation of demur

• Rhymes: -??(?)
• Rhymes: -??(?)

Adjective

demure (comparative demurer, superlative demurest)

1. (usually of women) Quiet, modest, reserved, sober, or serious.

   She is a demure young lady.

   • 1881, William Black, The Beautiful Wretch

     Nan was very much delighted in her demure way, and that delight showed itself in her face and in her clear bright eyes.
2. Affectedly modest, decorous, or serious; making a show of gravity.
   • c. 1824, Mary Russell Mitford, Walks in the Country

     Miss Lizzy, I have no doubt, would be as demure and coquettish, as if ten winters more had gone over her head.

Derived terms

• as demure as a whore at a christening
• demurely
• demureness

Translations

Verb

demure (third-person singular simple present demures, present participle demuring, simple past and past participle demured)

1. (obsolete) To look demurely.
   • 1623, William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra (act 4, scene 16, line 30)

     Your wife Octavia, with her modest eyes […] shall acquire no Honour Demuring upon me.