Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Language: Latin
Origin: , past participle of haesitare 'to stick firmly, hesitate', from haerere 'to stick'

hesitate

 verb
     
hes‧i‧tate
1 [intransitive] to pause before saying or doing something because you are nervous or not sure:
Kay hesitated for a moment and then said 'yes'.
hesitate about/over
He was still hesitating over whether to leave or not.
2

don't hesitate to do something

used to tell someone that it is correct or right for them to do something and they do not have to worry about offending anyone:
Don't hesitate to contact me if you need any more information.
—hesitatingly adverb
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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