waver
(redirected from waverers)Also found in: Thesaurus.
waver
vacillate; fluctuate; hesitate; falter; sway: She wanted to go, but her doubts made her waver.
Not to be confused with:
waiver – intentional relinquishment of a right; the document that evidences a waiver: She signed a waiver.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
wa·ver
(wā′vər)intr.v. wa·vered, wa·ver·ing, wa·vers
1.
a. To move unsteadily back and forth: The flowers wavered in the breeze. See Synonyms at swing.
b. To move in a certain direction with a swaying or unsteady motion: The child wavered along the hall. Snowflakes wavered down.
2.
a. To exhibit irresolution or indecision; vacillate: They wavered over buying a house.
b. To become unsteady or unsure; falter: His resolve began to waver.
c. To become diverted: She never wavered from her position opposing the war.
3. To change or fluctuate: The weather wavered between sunny and overcast.
4.
a. To tremble or quaver in sound, as of the voice or a musical note.
b. To flicker or glimmer: The door opened, and the light from the candle wavered.
n.
The action of wavering: the waver of the flashlight in the distance.
wa′ver·er n.
wa′ver·ing·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
waver
(ˈweɪvə)vb (intr)
1. to be irresolute; hesitate between two possibilities
2. to become unsteady
3. to fluctuate or vary
4. to move back and forth or one way and another
5. (General Physics) (of light) to flicker or flash
n
the act or an instance of wavering
[C14: from Old Norse vafra to flicker; related to German wabern to move about]
ˈwaverer n
ˈwavering adj
ˈwaveringly adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
wa•ver1
(ˈweɪ vər)v.i.
1. to sway to and fro; flutter.
2. to flicker or quiver, as light.
3. to become unsteady; begin to fail or give way: At the news my courage wavered.
4. to shake or tremble, as the hands or voice.
5. to feel or show doubt, indecision, etc.; vacillate: to waver in one's determination.
6. (of things) to fluctuate or vary.
7. to totter or reel: The tower wavered during the earthquake.
n. 8. an act of wavering; vacillation.
[1275–1325; Middle English; c. Middle High German waberen to move about, Old Norse vafra to toddle]
wa′ver•er, n.
wav•er2
(ˈweɪ vər)n.
a person or thing that waves.
[1550–60]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
waver
Past participle: wavered
Gerund: wavering
| Imperative |
|---|
| waver |
| waver |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  waver - someone who communicates by waving communicator - a person who communicates with others |
| 2. |  waver - the act of pausing uncertainly; "there was a hesitation in his speech"pause - temporary inactivity | |
| 3. |  waver - the act of moving back and forth | |
| Verb | 1. | waver - pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness; "Authorities hesitate to quote exact figures" dwell on, linger over - delay boggle - hesitate when confronted with a problem, or when in doubt or fear |
| 2. | waver - be unsure or weak; "Their enthusiasm is faltering" | |
| 3. | waver - move hesitatingly, as if about to give way move - move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion; "He moved his hand slightly to the right" | |
| 4. |  waver - move or sway in a rising and falling or wavelike pattern; "the line on the monitor vacillated"swing - alternate dramatically between high and low values; "his mood swings"; "the market is swinging up and down" fluctuate - cause to fluctuate or move in a wavelike pattern | |
| 5. | waver - move back and forth very rapidly; "the candle flickered" move back and forth - move in one direction and then into the opposite direction | |
| 6. |  waver - sway to and fro | |
| 7. | waver - give off unsteady sounds, alternating in amplitude or frequency |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
waver
verb
1. hesitate, dither (chiefly Brit.), vacillate, be irresolute, falter, fluctuate, seesaw, blow hot and cold (informal), be indecisive, hum and haw, be unable to decide, shillyshally (informal), be unable to make up your mind, swither (Scot.) Some military commanders wavered over whether to support the coup.
hesitate determine, resolve, be determined, stand firm, be decisive, be resolute, be of fixed opinion
hesitate determine, resolve, be determined, stand firm, be decisive, be resolute, be of fixed opinion
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
waver
verb1. To move back and forth or from side to side, as if about to fall:
2. To be irresolute in acting or doing:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
waver
[ˈweɪvəʳ] VI2. (fig) (= hesitate) → vacilar, dudar (between entre) (= weaken) [courage, support] → flaquear; (= falter) [voice] → temblar
he's beginning to waver → está empezando a vacilar or dudar
his gaze never wavered → no apartó la mirada ni por un momento
she never wavered in her belief → siempre se mantuvo firme en sus creencias
he's beginning to waver → está empezando a vacilar or dudar
his gaze never wavered → no apartó la mirada ni por un momento
she never wavered in her belief → siempre se mantuvo firme en sus creencias
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
waver
(ˈweivə) verbKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.