waverwa‧ver /ˈweɪvə $ -ər/ verb [intransitive] 
Her voice wavered uncertainly. The students’ attention did not waver.waver in Harris never wavered in his loyalty.waver from We were determined not to waver from our goals.2to not make a decision because you have doubts: Shareholders who were wavering met the directors.waver between something and something The party wavered between free trade and protectionism.3to move gently in several different directions: The candle flame wavered, throwing shadows on the wall.
WORD ORIGINwaver
Origin:
1300-1400 Old Norse vafraVERB TABLE
waver
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | waver |
| he, she, it | wavers | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | wavered |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have wavered |
| he, she, it | has wavered | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had wavered |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will waver |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have wavered |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am wavering |
| he, she, it | is wavering | |
| you, we, they | are wavering | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was wavering |
| you, we, they | were wavering | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been wavering |
| he, she, it | has been wavering | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been wavering |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be wavering |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been wavering |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- I lay still, watching the moonlight waver on the wall.
- If people have been wavering about giving the police information, this could be the thing to make them come forward.
- Jessica's faith in her husband never wavered.
- Maya wavered between accepting and refusing his offer.
- Sue's gaze did not waver as she watched Pat leave.
- For a few moments the whole Rebel line... seemed to waver...
- For the first time he wavered in his determination to get rid of her.
- He held the paper in both hands and he saw the paper waver in front of his spectacles.
- I consider buying it, but waver.
- Prince Casimir never wavered, praying to the Blessed Virgin Mary for hours on end.
- This seemed the best way to draw the wavering states away from Washington and consolidate Southern power.
- We're not wavering from that position.
- When they went after something nothing made them waver, just as he had set after her.
Longman Language Activatornot sure if you should do something or if something is good or right
to not be sure whether you should do something or whether it is good or right: · Peter promised that it was all for the best, but I still had doubts.have doubts about: · Any doubts Jo had about marrying him soon disappeared.have your doubts: · We had our doubts about the car's reliability from the start.
to feel that some things about a plan, idea etc are not good or right, so that you think there may be problems or difficulties: · I know you're very keen to move to the US, but I'm afraid I still have reservations.have reservations about: · Many teachers are likely to have reservations about the new tests.
to not be sure whether something is good or right, because you are worried about what will happen if it is done: · We didn't try to stop our son from joining the army, but we both had misgivings.have misgivings about: · Even the government's most loyal supporters have misgivings about changes to the education system.have serious misgivings (=be very unsure): · At the time, many doctors had serious misgivings about the new treatment.
to be unable to say that something is definitely good or right, because there are both good and bad things about it: · I have very mixed feelings -- I want to travel but I know I'll miss my family.have mixed feelings about: · She had mixed feelings about her daughter getting married so young.
to be not sure whether you should do something, because you can think of ways in which it could go wrong: · I was a bit dubious at first, but the water looked cool and inviting, so I dived in.be dubious about: · Most universities are dubious about accepting students over the age of 30.
someone who is hesitant is nervous or unsure about doing something, and therefore pauses before doing it or does it slowly and without confidence: · He was a little hesitant at first, but soon he had told her everything.hesitant about: · I was hesitant about approaching the boss directly.hesitant to do something: · It is not surprising that the government was hesitant to introduce such major reforms.
to not make a definite decision because you have doubts: waver between: · Maya wavered between accepting and refusing his offer.waver about: · If people have been wavering about giving the police information, this could be the thing to make them come forward.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Her voice wavered uncertainly. The students’ attention did not waver.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
1to become weaker or less certain: Her voice wavered uncertainly. The students’ attention did not waver.· His faith never wavered, even when Albert became so disturbed by the portents that he could not sleep and fell ill.· Prince Casimir never wavered, praying to the Blessed Virgin Mary for hours on end.· Left-wing and right-wing, labour and management have never wavered from the pursuit of economic growth.· The home team won 8-0 and hooked Lawson, whose allegiance has never wavered.· It has never wavered and has consistently fought ever since for the adoption of this method.· His dedication to their interests never wavered.· Bristow and Trevitt never waver in the closeness of their mutual dialogue and move easily between forceful classical dynamics and quiet self-containment.
Her voice wavered uncertainly. The students’ attention did not waver.waver in Harris never wavered in his loyalty.waver from We were determined not to waver from our goals.2to not make a decision because you have doubts: Shareholders who were wavering met the directors.waver between something and something The party wavered between free trade and protectionism.3to move gently in several different directions: The candle flame wavered, throwing shadows on the wall.