vacillate
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vac·il·late
(văs′ə-lāt′)intr.v. vac·il·lat·ed, vac·il·lat·ing, vac·il·lates
1. To be unable to choose between different courses of action or opinions; waver: She vacillated about whether to leave.
2. To change between one state and another; fluctuate: The weather vacillated between sunny and rainy.
3. Archaic To sway from one side to the other.
[Latin vacillāre, vacillāt-, to waver.]
vac′il·lat′ing·ly adv.
vac′il·la′tion n.
vac′il·la′tor n.
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.
vacillate
(ˈvæsɪˌleɪt)vb (intr)
1. to fluctuate in one's opinions; be indecisive
2. to sway from side to side physically; totter or waver
[C16: from Latin vacillāre to sway, of obscure origin]
ˌvacilˈlation n
ˈvacilˌlator n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
vac•il•late
(ˈvæs əˌleɪt)v.i. -lat•ed, -lat•ing.
1. to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
2. to sway unsteadily; totter.
3. to oscillate or fluctuate.
[1590–1600; < Latin vacillātus, past participle of vacillāre to be unsteady, waver]
vac`il•la′tion, n.
vac′il•la`tor, n.
vac′il•la•to`ry (-ləˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i) adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
vacillate
Past participle: vacillated
Gerund: vacillating
Imperative |
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vacillate |
vacillate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Verb | 1. | vacillate - be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action; "He oscillates between accepting the new position and retirement" hesitate, waffle, waver - pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness; "Authorities hesitate to quote exact figures" shillyshally - be uncertain and vague |
2. | vacillate - move or sway in a rising and falling or wavelike pattern; "the line on the monitor vacillated" swing - alternate dramatically between high and low values; "his mood swings"; "the market is swinging up and down" fluctuate - cause to fluctuate or move in a wavelike pattern |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
vacillate
verb waver, hesitate, dither (chiefly Brit.), haver, sway, falter, be doubtful, fluctuate, be uncertain, be unsure, teeter, oscillate, be undecided, chop and change, seesaw, blow hot and cold (informal), temporize, hum and haw, be unable to decide, keep changing your mind, shillyshally (informal), be irresolute or indecisive, swither (Scot.), be unable to make up your mind (chiefly Brit.), dillydally She is vacillating over whether or not to marry him.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
vacillate
verb1. To move back and forth or from side to side, as if about to fall:
2. To be irresolute in acting or doing:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
epäröidäheiluahorjuahuojuasoutaa ja huovata
bera kápuna á báðum öxlum
duabus sellis sedeo
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
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
vacillate
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
vacillate
vt. vacilar; fluctuar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012