dither

[dihth -er]

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noun

a trembling; vibration.

a state of flustered excitement or fear.

verb (used without object)

to act irresolutely; vacillate.

North England. to tremble with excitement or fear.

Origin of dither

1640–50; variant of didder (late Middle English diddere); cf. dodder¹

Related formsdith·er·er, noundith·er·y, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for dithering

undetermined, unclear, uncertain, hesitant, doubtful, uncommitted, wavering, unsure, vague, ambivalent, throb, pulsate, shudder, shiver, convulse, tremble, disturb, rattle, swing, upset

Examples from the Web for dithering

Contemporary Examples of dithering

Despite a dithering Congress and a disdainful American public, the diplomatic doors opened.
Suddenly, Great Expectations for Iran-U.S. Relations
Christopher Dickey
September 27, 2013
Such verbiage and dithering in the face of market mayhem helped Europe get into its mess in the first place.
Debt Crisis Lessons for Europe
Stefan Theil
August 19, 2011
Fourth, Gordon Brown is a dour, dithering, dry, dislikeable loser.
10 Truths About the British Vote
Tunku Varadarajan
May 5, 2010
Like Obama he faced accusations of dithering and cowardice, particularly from his great rival Theodore Roosevelt.
Obama's Wilsonian Moment
John Milton Cooper, Jr.
December 9, 2009
The word "dithering" is beginning to be heard on this side of the Atlantic, too.
Europe's Continent Envy
Alex Massie
November 11, 2009

Historical Examples of dithering

"I'm all dithering," panted Hattie, as Winnie pushed her forward to try first.
For the Sake of the School
Angela Brazil
And the white-livered accomplice is dithering with funk in there.
Ambrotox and Limping Dick
Oliver Fleming
A man will no' keep on dithering for what he kens he canna' get.
The Dop Doctor
Clotilde Inez Mary Graves
His voice caught in a tight knot of strangulation; he was dithering and palsied.
Just Around the Corner
Fannie Hurst
Presently he came running out of the scullery, with the soapy water dripping from him, dithering with cold.
Sons and Lovers
David Herbert Lawrence

British Dictionary definitions for dithering

dither

verb (intr)

mainly British to be uncertain or indecisive

mainly US to be in an agitated state

to tremble, as with cold

noun

mainly British a state of indecision

a state of agitation

Derived Formsditherer, noundithery, adjective

Word Origin for dither

C17: variant of C14 (northern English dialect) didder, of uncertain origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for dithering

dither

1640s, "to quake, tremble," phonetic variant of Middle English didderen (late 14c.), of uncertain origin. The sense of "vacillate, be anxious" is from 1819. Related: Dithered; dithering.