ditherdith‧er /ˈdɪðə $ -ər/ verb [intransitive] 
He accused the government of dithering over the deal. Stop dithering, girl, and get on with it!—ditherer noun [countable]
WORD ORIGINdither
Origin:
1600-1700 didder ‘to shake’ (14-19 centuries)VERB TABLE
dither
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | dither |
| he, she, it | dithers | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | dithered |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have dithered |
| he, she, it | has dithered | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had dithered |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will dither |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have dithered |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am dithering |
| he, she, it | is dithering | |
| you, we, they | are dithering | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was dithering |
| you, we, they | were dithering | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been dithering |
| he, she, it | has been dithering | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been dithering |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be dithering |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been dithering |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Marcia was still upstairs, dithering over what she should pack.
- Stop dithering and make up your mind.
- For many proponents of a flat tax, this is mere dithering.
- For those still tempted to dither, consider this.
- If dithering and indecision are a problem for you, this is not your magazine.
- My legs dithered weakly and I was breathless.
- No weakness was tolerated, no dithering allowed.
- There is an inevitable escapade in Paris, followed by dithering, separation and reunion.
- Why was she dithering when she ought to be doing?
Longman Language Activatorunable to decide about something
to not be able to make a decision: · What colour are you going to paint your room?" "I can't make up my mind."can't decide what/whether/how etc: · It was time to go and I still couldn't decide what to wear.· We can't decide whether to go to Greece or Italy this year.
informal to be unable to decide whether or not to do a particular thing: be in two minds about: · My parents want me to study medicine, but I'm still in two minds about it.· Des was in two minds about buying the car, but the salesman persuaded him.be in two minds whether to do something: · I'm in two minds about whether to get a dog or not - it's such a responsibility.
informal to keep changing your mind - use this when you think someone is weak or stupid because they cannot decide about something: · Stop dithering and make up your mind.dither over: · Marcia was still upstairs, dithering over what she should pack.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Stop dithering, girl, and get on with it!COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
to keep being unable to make a final decision about somethingdither over/about/between Stop dithering, girl, and get on with it!· A car smashed into her rear end as she dithered over which direction to take.
He accused the government of dithering over the deal. Stop dithering, girl, and get on with it!—ditherer noun [countable]