hesitate
US: /ˈhɛzəˌteɪt/
UK: /hˈɛsɪtˌeɪt/
UK: /hˈɛsɪtˌeɪt/
English Vietnamese dictionary
hesitate /'heziteit/
- nội động từ
- do dự, ngập ngừng, lưỡng lự, không nhất quyết
Advanced English dictionary
+ verb
1 ~ (about / over sth) to be slow to speak or act because you feel uncertain or nervous: [V] She hesitated before replying. + I didn't hesitate for a moment about taking the job. + He seemed to hesitate a second. + She stood there, hesitating over whether or not to tell him the truth. [also V speech]
2 [V to inf] to be worried about doing sth, especially because you are not sure that it is right or appropriate: Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries. + If you'd like me to send you the book, then please don't hesitate to ask.
hesitation noun [U, C]: She agreed without the slightest hesitation. + We were trained to speak fluently and without unnecessary hesitations.
Thesaurus dictionary
v.
1 delay, hold or hang back, pause, dilly-dally, wait, temporize, think twice, balk, boggle at, shrink from, demur, scruple, Brit haver, jib, Colloq stall:
He who hesitates is lost.
2 fumble, equivocate, tergiversate, fluctuate, alternate, waver, dither, vacillate, shilly-shally:
He hesitated between the doors - did this one conceal the lady or the tiger?
3 stammer, stutter, falter, sputter, splutter, stumble, hem and haw:
She hesitated throughout the speech purely from stage fright.
Collocation dictionary
ADV.
briefly, a little, (for) a minute/moment/second, momentarily
Alison hesitated a moment, as if she were waiting for him.
VERB + HESITATE
appear to, seem to | make sb
Something about his smile made her hesitate.
PREP.
about
I didn't hesitate about working with Craig.
| between
He was hesitating between a glass of wine and an orange juice.
| over
He stood hesitating over whether to join the fight.
Concise English dictionary
hesitates|hesitated|hesitating'hezɪteɪt
verb
+pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
+interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
