dither
a trembling; vibration.
a state of flustered excitement or fear.
to act irresolutely; vacillate.
North England. to tremble with excitement or fear.
Origin of dither
1Other words from dither
- dith·er·er, noun
- dith·er·y, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use dither in a sentence
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 | THE DAILY BEAST“We already have seen dithering in the immediate wake of the attack on the U.S. consulate,” says a European diplomat.
Such verbiage and dithering in the face of market mayhem helped Europe get into its mess in the first place.
Fourth, Gordon Brown is a dour, dithering, dry, dislikeable loser.
Peter Beinart on why the left needs to stop the linguistic dithering—and win the only battle that can vanquish al Qaeda.
Presently he came running out of the scullery, with the soapy water dripping from him, dithering with cold.
Sons and Lovers | David Herbert LawrenceAnother fellow walking in his sleep and killing criss-cross Huns in his dithering dreams.
Air Men o' War | Boyd CableI was beginning to correct my first impression that Thrombley was a complete dithering fool.
Lone Star Planet | Henry Beam Piper and John Joseph McGuireHe nodded to his dithering worship, and marched back slowly and calmly to his dinner.
The Yeoman Adventurer | George W. GoughTom stood watching the ambulance whisk Murell off, dithering in indecision.
Four-Day Planet | Henry Beam Piper
British Dictionary definitions for dither
/ (ˈdɪðə) /
mainly British to be uncertain or indecisive
mainly US to be in an agitated state
to tremble, as with cold
mainly British a state of indecision
a state of agitation
Origin of dither
1Derived forms of dither
- ditherer, noun
- dithery, adjective
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
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