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The act of hesitating; suspension of opinion or action; doubt; vacillation.

Stop; pause; hesitation as to proceeding; suspense of decision or action; scruple. All my demurs but double his attacks; At last he whispers, "Do; and we go snacks." Pope.

state of opinion concerning the reality of an event, or the truth of an assertion, etc.; hesitation. Doubt is the beginning and the end of our efforts to know. Sir W. Hamilton. Doubt, in order to be operative in requiring an acquittal, is not the want of perfect certainty (which can never exist in any question of fact…

To utter with hesitation, or in a broken, trembling, or weak manner. And here he faltered forth his last farewell. Byron. Mde me most happy, faltering "I am thine." Tennyson.

Falter; halting; hesitation. -- Fal"ter*ing*ly, adv.

An intermission or hesitation of speech, with a sound somewhat like haw! also, the sound so made. "Hums or haws." Congreve.

An onomatopoetic word used as an expression of hesitation, doubt, etc. It is often a sort of voluntary half cough, loud or subdued, and would perhaps be better expressed by hm. Cough or cry hem, if anybody come. Shak.

To utter with hesitation or to intimate by a reluctant manner. [Poetic & R.] Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike. Pope.

With hesitation or doubt.

Showing, or characterized by, hesitation. [He said] in his mild, hesitative way. R. D. Blackmore.

ed purpose, or of firmness; indetermination; wavering of mind; irresolution; vacillation; hesitation. The term indecision . . . implies an idea very nicely different from irresolution; yet it has a tendency to produce it. Shenstone. Indecision . . . is the natural accomplice of violence. Burke.

Irresolution; hesitation. [Obs.] Shak.

Temporary inaction or waiting; hesitation; suspence; doubt. I stand in pause where I shall first begin. Shak.

Done or rendered quickly, readily, or immediately; given without delay or hesitation; -- said of conduct; as, prompt assistance. When Washington heard the voice of his country in distress, his obedience was prompt. Ames.

Hesitation as to action from the difficulty of determining what is right or expedient; unwillingness, doubt, or hesitation proceeding from motives of conscience. He was made miserable by the conflict between his tastes and his scruples. Macaulay. To make scruple, to hesitate from conscientious motives; to scruple. Lock…

Irresolution; hesitation; also, occupation with trifles. She lost not one of her forty-five minutes in picking and choosing, - - no shilly-shally in Kate. De Quincey.

Flowing or uttered without check, obstruction, or hesitation; not harsh; voluble; even; fluent. The only smooth poet of those times. Milton. Waller was smooth; but Dryden taught to join The varying verse, the full-resounding line. Pope. When sage Minerva rose, From her sweet lips smooth elocution flows. Gay.…

To utter or pronounce with hesitation or imperfectly; -- sometimes with out.

To cause difficulties, scruples, or hesitation. This is the difficulty that sticks with the most reasonable. Swift. To stick by. (a) To adhere closely to; to be firm in supporting. "We are your only friends; stick by us, and we will stick by you." Davenant. (b) To be troublesome by adhering. "I am satisfied to trifle a…

favorable terms a negotiator can offer, the rejection of which usually puts an end to the hesitation.