hésiter

Pronunciation

• IPA: /e.zi.te/^[1]

Forms

hésiter^[1] Hecyter (1406), ecytés (15th century, Passion d'Autun); hésiter from about 1535.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin haesitō (“to be stuck, at a loss; to stammer; to hesitate”), a frequentative of haereō (“to stick, cling”).^{[4][2][5][3][6][7]} The Latin verb has been compared with Lithuanian gaištù (“to hesitate, linger”).^[2] The noun hésitation was borrowed earlier, at the end of the 13th century.^[2][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is recorded in 1406 as hecyter, for being in a state of uncertainty that holds back action; the Passion d'Autun (15th century) has puisque de mors vous ecytés “since you hesitate before death”.^[2][8][4]

Semantic evolution

Georges de Selve's Plutarch (about 1535) has the modern spelling.^[4][3] Monet (1636) and Cotgrave (1611) record hesitating in speech, stammering.^[4][3][2] The constructions multiplied in classical French: hésiter entre (1653, Vaugelas), hésiter sur (1670, Molière), hésiter à with an infinitive (1690, Furetière), hésiter de (late 17th century, now out of use), and in the 19th century hésiter si.^[2][3] The participle hésitant became an adjective in 1829.^[2]

Timeline

• 1406 – Hecyter.^[2]
• c. 1535 – Hésiter, Georges de Selve.^[4]
• 1611 – “To stammer”, Cotgrave.^[4]
• 1653 – Hésiter entre, Vaugelas.^[3]
• 1690 – Hésiter à, Furetière.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To hesitate, waver, be undecided: il n'hésita pas une seconde, répondre sans hésiter.^[9][1]
2. Hésiter entre, sur: to be torn between, unsure about: hésiter sur l'orthographe d'un mot.^[9][2]
3. Hésiter à: to be reluctant to: n'hésitez pas à m'appeler.^[2][3]
4. To falter, pause in speaking or moving.^[4][3]

Word family

• hésitant
• hésitation

Related words

• adhérer
• Latin haesitō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c d e f g Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 375a
8. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert