hesitation

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hes·i·ta·tion

(hĕz′ĭ-tā′shən)

1. The act or an instance of hesitating.

2. The state of being hesitant.

3. A pause or faltering in speech.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

hes•i•ta•tion

(ˌhɛz ɪˈteɪ ʃən)

n.

1. the act of hesitating; a delay due to uncertainty or fear.

2. a state of doubt or uncertainty.

3. a momentary stop; pause.

4. a halting or faltering in speech.

[1615–25; < Latin]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	hesitation - indecision in speech or action vacillation, wavering indecision, indecisiveness, irresolution - doubt concerning two or more possible alternatives or courses of action; "his indecision was only momentary but the opportunity was lost"
	2.	hesitation - a certain degree of unwillingness; "a reluctance to commit himself"; "his hesitancy revealed his basic indisposition"; "after some hesitation he agreed" disinclination, hesitancy, indisposition, reluctance sloth, slothfulness - a disinclination to work or exert yourself involuntariness, unwillingness - the trait of being unwilling; "his unwillingness to cooperate vetoed every proposal I made"; "in spite of our warnings he plowed ahead with the involuntariness of an automaton"
	3.	hesitation - the act of pausing uncertainly; "there was a hesitation in his speech" falter, faltering, waver pause - temporary inactivity

hesitation

noun

1. delay, pausing, uncertainty, stalling, dithering, indecision, hesitancy, doubt, vacillation, temporizing, shilly-shallying, irresolution, hemming and hawing, dubiety After some hesitation, he answered her question.

2. reluctance, reservation(s), misgiving(s), ambivalence, qualm(s), unwillingness, scruple(s), compunction, demurral The board said it had no hesitation in rejecting the offer.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

hesitation

noun

The act of hesitating or state of being hesitant:

hesitancy, indecision, indecisiveness, irresoluteness, irresolution, pause, shilly-shally, tentativeness, timidity, timidness, to-and-fro, vacillation.

Translations

عدم استِعْداد أو تأكُّد، تَرَدُّدعَمَلِيَّة التردُّد

váhánízaváhánípochybnost

betænkelighedtøven

Zögern

ενδοιασμός

duda indecisión vacilación

hésitation

tétovázás

hikhik, vafi

esitazione interruzione ritardo

uvillighet vakling

колебание

oklevanje

bocalamaçekingenlikçekinmeduraksamakararsızlık

不情愿犹豫踌躇

hesitation

[ˌhezɪˈteɪʃən] N → vacilación f, indecisión f
I have no hesitation in saying → no vacilo en decir ...
without the slightest hesitation → sin vacilar siquiera, sin pensarlo dos veces

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

hesitation

[ˌhɛzɪˈteɪʃ^ən] n → hésitation f
after some hesitation → après un moment d'hésitation
to have no hesitation in doing sth
I have no hesitation in agreeing with him → Je partage son avis sans la moindre hésitation.
I have no hesitation in saying that → Je dis ... sans la moindre hésitation.
to do sth without hesitation → faire qch sans hésitation
He accepted without hesitation → Il a accepté sans hésitation.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

hesitation

n → Zögern nt, → Zaudern nt (geh); after some/a moment’s hesitation → nach einigem/kurzem Zögern; without the slightest hesitation → ohne auch nur einen Augenblick zu zögern; I have no hesitation in saying that … → ich kann ohne Weiteres sagen, dass …; I had no hesitation about taking the job → ich zögerte keinen Augenblick, die Stelle anzunehmen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

hesitation

[ˌhɛzɪˈteɪʃ/ən] n → esitazione f
I have no hesitation in saying (that) ... → non esito a dire che...

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

hesitate

(ˈheziteit) verb

1. to pause briefly eg because of uncertainty. He hesitated before answering; The diver hesitated for a minute on the diving-board.

2. to be unwilling (to do something) eg because one is not sure it is right. I hesitate to say he lied but he certainly misled me; Don't hesitate to tell me if you have any complaints.

ˈhesitancy noun

the tendency to hesitate.

ˈhesitant adjective

making or having frequent hesitations. a hesitant speaker; I'm hesitant to tell her she's wrong.

ˈhesitantly adverb

ˌhesiˈtation noun

1. an act of hesitating.

2. unwillingness or uncertainty.

References in classic literature ?

Miss Halcombe, after looking at me very earnestly, said a few words, on her side, to the same effect--with a certain hesitation of manner, however, which the circumstances did not seem to me to warrant.

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Skinner answered tersely, receiving the little roll of bills without hesitation, and retreating into a quiet corner, where he carefully counted and examined every one.

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Don't let the question of terms cause you an instant's hesitation. I accept beforehand any terms you like to mention.

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And I know that every one will confess that it would be most praiseworthy in a prince to exhibit all the above qualities that are considered good; but because they can neither be entirely possessed nor observed, for human conditions do not permit it, it is necessary for him to be sufficiently prudent that he may know how to avoid the reproach of those vices which would lose him his state; and also to keep himself, if it be possible, from those which would not lose him it; but this not being possible, he may with less hesitation abandon himself to them.

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Blifil, therefore, after a very short hesitation, answered Mr Allworthy, that matrimony was a subject on which he had not yet thought; but that he was so sensible of his friendly and fatherly care, that he should in all things submit himself to his pleasure.

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While you were at all in suspense I kept my feelings to myself, but now that you are so completely decided I have no hesitation in approving.

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He had sacrificed his fortune, and was now risking his life, all without hesitation, from duty, in silence.

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Tales of hesitation and uncertainty on the part of those high in place and responsibility came to their ears.

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The movable bridges, the agitated sailors, the noise of the water on the pebbles, the cries and importunities of those who wait upon the shores, are multiplied details of that sensation which is summed up in one single result -- hesitation. It was not, then, till after standing several minutes on the shore that D'Artagnan saw upon the port, but more particularly in the interior of the isle, an immense number of workmen in motion.

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That moment of moral hesitation which decides the fate of battles had arrived.

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"Even at that risk," Aynesworth answered without hesitation.

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There was something in the deliberate manner of his doing so, and his hesitation before he spoke, which seemed intended to further impress upon the young man the fact that he was not disposed for conversation.