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vacillate

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vacillate

(væsɪleɪt)

Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense vacillates, present participle vacillating, past tense, past participle vacillated

verb

If you vacillate between two alternatives or choices, you keep changing your mind.

[formal]

She vacillates between studying economics and languages. [V + between]

We cannot vacillate on the question of the party's leadership. [+ on, VERB]

Synonyms: waver, hesitate, dither [mainly British], haver More Synonyms of vacillate

vacillation (væsɪleɪʃən)Word forms: plural vacillations variable noun

He accused the President of vacillation and retreat.

...Stalin's miscalculations and vacillations.

Synonyms: indecisiveness, hesitation, irresolution, wavering More Synonyms of vacillate

vacillate in British English

(ˈvæsɪˌleɪt)

verb (intransitive)

to fluctuate in one's opinions; be indecisive

to sway from side to side physically; totter or waver

Derived forms

vacillation (ˌvacilˈlation)

noun

vacillator (ˈvacilˌlator)

noun

Word origin

C16: from Latin vacillāre to sway, of obscure origin

vacillate in American English

(ˈvæsəˌleɪt)

verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈvacilˌlated or ˈvacilˌlating

to sway to and fro; waver; totter; stagger

to fluctuate or oscillate

to waver in mind; show indecision

Derived forms

vacillation (ˌvacilˈlation)

noun

vacillator (ˈvacilˌlator)

noun

vacillatory (ˈvacillaˌtory) (ˈvæsələˌtɔri)

adjective

Word origin

< L vacillatus, pp. of vacillare, to sway to and fro, waver < IE *wek-, to be bent, prob. < base *wā-, to bend apart, turn > L varus, bent, diverse

Examples of 'vacillate' in a sentence
vacillate

Hurt shook his head, astonished by his own ability to vacillate.

(verb) in the sense of waver

Definition

to keep changing one's mind or opinions about something

She is vacillating over whether or not to marry him.

Synonyms

waver

Some military commanders wavered over whether to support the coup.

hesitate

She hesitated, debating whether to answer the phone.

dither mainly British)

We're still dithering over whether to go away on holiday next week.

haver

sway

falter

I have not faltered in my quest for a new future.

be doubtful

fluctuate

Body temperatures can fluctuate when you are ill.

be uncertain

be unsure

teeter

He watched the cup teeter on the edge before it fell.

oscillate

She oscillated between elation and despair.

be undecided

chop and change

seesaw

The stock-market see-sawed up and down.

blow hot and cold (informal)

I blew hot and cold as I weighed up the pros and cons.

temporize

hum and haw

be unable to decide

keep changing your mind

shillyshally (informal)

be irresolute or indecisive

swither (Scottish)

be unable to make up your mind mainly British)

dillydally

Seewaver

Nearby words of
vacillate

vacation
vaccinate
vaccine
vacillate
vacillating
vacillation
vacuity

Synonyms of 'vacillate'

vacillate

Explore 'vacillate' in the dictionary

Additional synonyms

in the sense of fluctuate

Definition

to change frequently and erratically

Body temperatures can fluctuate when you are ill.

Synonyms

change,

swing,

vary,

alter,

hesitate,

alternate,

waver,

veer,

rise and fall,

go up and down,

ebb and flow,

seesaw

in the sense of hesitate

Definition

to be slow and uncertain in acting

She hesitated, debating whether to answer the phone.

Synonyms

waver,

delay,

pause,

haver (British),

wait,

doubt,

falter,

be uncertain,

dither (British),

vacillate,

equivocate,

temporize,

hum and haw,

shillyshally (informal),

swither (Scottish, dialect)

in the sense of oscillate

Definition

to waver between two extremes of opinion, attitude, or behaviour

She oscillated between elation and despair.

Synonyms

waver,

change,

swing,

shift,

vary,

sway,

alternate,

veer,

ebb and flow,

vacillate,

seesaw

in the sense of seesaw

Definition

to move up and down or back and forth alternately

The stock-market see-sawed up and down.

Synonyms

alternate,

swing,

fluctuate,

teeter,

oscillate,

go from one extreme to the other

in the sense of shillyshally

Definition

to be indecisive

Synonyms

haver (British),

hesitate,

falter,

waver,

fluctuate,

dither (British),

yo-yo (informal),

vacillate,

seesaw,

dilly-dally (informal),

be irresolute or indecisive,

hem and haw or hum and haw,

swither (Scottish)

in the sense of teeter

Definition

to wobble or move unsteadily

He watched the cup teeter on the edge before it fell.

Synonyms

wobble,

rock,

totter,

balance,

stagger,

sway,

tremble,

waver,

pivot,

seesaw

单词	vacillate
释义	Trends of vacillate View usage for: vacillate (væsɪleɪt) Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense vacillates, present participle vacillating, past tense, past participle vacillated verb If you vacillate between two alternatives or choices, you keep changing your mind. [formal] She vacillates between studying economics and languages. [V + between] We cannot vacillate on the question of the party's leadership. [+ on, VERB] Synonyms: waver, hesitate, dither [mainly British], haver More Synonyms of vacillate vacillation (væsɪleɪʃən)Word forms: plural vacillations variable noun He accused the President of vacillation and retreat. ...Stalin's miscalculations and vacillations. Synonyms: indecisiveness, hesitation, irresolution, wavering More Synonyms of vacillate vacillate in British English (ˈvæsɪˌleɪt) verb (intransitive) 1. to fluctuate in one's opinions; be indecisive 2. to sway from side to side physically; totter or waver Derived forms vacillation (ˌvacilˈlation) noun vacillator (ˈvacilˌlator) noun Word origin C16: from Latin vacillāre to sway, of obscure origin vacillate in American English (ˈvæsəˌleɪt) verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈvacilˌlated or ˈvacilˌlating 1. to sway to and fro; waver; totter; stagger 2. to fluctuate or oscillate 3. to waver in mind; show indecision Derived forms vacillation (ˌvacilˈlation) noun vacillator (ˈvacilˌlator) noun vacillatory (ˈvacillaˌtory) (ˈvæsələˌtɔri) adjective Word origin < L vacillatus, pp. of vacillare, to sway to and fro, waver < IE wek-, to be bent, prob. < base wā-, to bend apart, turn > L varus, bent, diverse Examples of 'vacillate' in a sentence vacillate Hurt shook his head, astonished by his own ability to vacillate. Armstrong, Campbell MAMBO (1991) (verb) in the sense of waver Definition to keep changing one's mind or opinions about something She is vacillating over whether or not to marry him. Synonyms waver Some military commanders wavered over whether to support the coup. hesitate She hesitated, debating whether to answer the phone. dither mainly British) We're still dithering over whether to go away on holiday next week. haver sway falter I have not faltered in my quest for a new future. be doubtful fluctuate Body temperatures can fluctuate when you are ill. be uncertain be unsure teeter He watched the cup teeter on the edge before it fell. oscillate She oscillated between elation and despair. be undecided chop and change seesaw The stock-market see-sawed up and down. blow hot and cold (informal) I blew hot and cold as I weighed up the pros and cons. temporize hum and haw be unable to decide keep changing your mind shillyshally (informal) be irresolute or indecisive swither (Scottish) be unable to make up your mind mainly British) dillydally Seewaver Nearby words of vacillate vacation vaccinate vaccine vacillate vacillating vacillation vacuity Synonyms of 'vacillate' vacillate Explore 'vacillate' in the dictionary Additional synonyms in the sense of fluctuate Definition to change frequently and erratically Body temperatures can fluctuate when you are ill. Synonyms change, swing, vary, alter, hesitate, alternate, waver, veer, rise and fall, go up and down, ebb and flow, seesaw in the sense of hesitate Definition to be slow and uncertain in acting She hesitated, debating whether to answer the phone. Synonyms waver, delay, pause, haver (British), wait, doubt, falter, be uncertain, dither (British), vacillate, equivocate, temporize, hum and haw, shillyshally (informal), swither (Scottish, dialect) in the sense of oscillate Definition to waver between two extremes of opinion, attitude, or behaviour She oscillated between elation and despair. Synonyms waver, change, swing, shift, vary, sway, alternate, veer, ebb and flow, vacillate, seesaw in the sense of seesaw Definition to move up and down or back and forth alternately The stock-market see-sawed up and down. Synonyms alternate, swing, fluctuate, teeter, oscillate, go from one extreme to the other in the sense of shillyshally Definition to be indecisive Synonyms haver (British), hesitate, falter, waver, fluctuate, dither (British), yo-yo (informal), vacillate, seesaw, dilly-dally (informal), be irresolute or indecisive, hem and haw or hum and haw, swither (Scottish) in the sense of teeter Definition to wobble or move unsteadily He watched the cup teeter on the edge before it fell. Synonyms wobble, rock, totter, balance, stagger, sway, tremble, waver, pivot, seesaw
随便看	dilly-dallies dilly dally dilly-dally dillydally dilly-dallying dilthey diltiazem dilucidate dilucidation diluent dilutable dilute diluted dilutee diluteness diluter dilution dilutionary dilutive dilutor diluvia diluvial diluvialism diluvialist diluvian

Trends ofvacillate

vacillate

vacillate in British English

vacillate in American English

Examples of 'vacillate' in a sentencevacillate

Nearby words ofvacillate

Synonyms of 'vacillate'

vacillate

Additional synonyms

Trends of
vacillate

Examples of 'vacillate' in a sentence
vacillate

Nearby words of
vacillate