hesitate

hesitate

英 ['hezɪteɪt]
　　美 ['hɛzɪtet]

vi. 躊躇，猶豫；不願
　　vt. 躊躇，猶豫；有疑慮，不願意

v.(動詞)hesitate的基本意思是“猶豫”“躊躇 ”,指在決定說做或選擇某事前的暫停或其他猶豫不決的表現,也可譯為“停瞭一會”“停頓”或“說話吞吞吐吐”,引申可表示“不情願”。hesitate是不及物動詞,其後接about, at或in,表示對某事猶豫不決；後接between,再接由and連接的並列結構,表示在兩者間猶豫不決。hesitate作“不情願”解時,可接動詞不定式。hesitate to do與hesitate about doing這兩種表達方式結構不同，但是意思一樣。

She seems to hesitate to answer.
She seems to hesitate about answering.

中文詞源：

hesitate 猶豫，躊躇，遲疑不決

來自拉丁語haerere,粘著，粘附，來自PIE*ghais,粘結，詞源同adhere,inherent,adhesive.

例句：

1. Today I might hesitate to turn in a burglar.
現在讓我把入室竊賊送交警方，我可能會有所顧慮。

2. Do not hesitate to laugh at anything you find amusing.
隻要覺得好笑就盡管笑。

3. This could make your superiors hesitate to trust you with major responsibilities.
這樣會使上級不敢對你委以重任。

4. She didn't hesitate to tell intrusive photographers to "naff off".
她毫不客氣地叫那些煩人的攝影者“滾開”。

5. They don't hesitate to open fire when confronted by police.
他們遭遇警察時毫不猶豫地開火。