definitions

halting

[ hawl-ting ]
/ ˈhɔl tɪŋ /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR halting ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

faltering or hesitating, especially in speech.
faulty or imperfect.
limping or lame: a halting gait.

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RELATED WORDS

clumsy, labored, awkward, tentative, stumbling, bumbling, vacillating, lumbering, slow, wavering, faltering, doubtful, gauche, imperfect, indecisive, inept, irresolute, maladroit, uncertain, wooden

Nearby words

halsted, william stewart, halt, halter, haltere, halteres, halting, haltingly, haltom city, halton, halton hills, halutz

Origin of halting

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at halt2, -ing2
Related formshalt·ing·ly, adverbhalt·ing·ness, nounun·halt·ing, adjectiveun·halt·ing·ly, adverb

Definition for halting (2 of 3)

Origin of halt

1
1615–25; from the phrase make halt for German halt machen. See hold1

Synonym study

2. See stop.

Definition for halting (3 of 3)

halt

2
[ hawlt ]
/ hɔlt /

verb (used without object)

to falter, as in speech, reasoning, etc.; be hesitant; stumble.
to be in doubt; waver between alternatives; vacillate.
Archaic. to be lame; walk lamely; limp.

adjective

Archaic. lame; limping.

noun

Archaic. lameness; a limp.
(used with a plural verb) lame people, especially severely lamed ones (usually preceded by the): the halt and the blind.

Origin of halt

2
before 900; Middle English; Old English healt; cognate with Old High German halz, Old Norse haltr, Gothic halts, akin to Latin clādēs damage, loss
Related formshalt·less, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for halting

British Dictionary definitions for halting (1 of 3)

halting

/ (ˈhɔːltɪŋ) /

adjective

hesitanthalting speech
lame
Derived Formshaltingly, adverbhaltingness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for halting (2 of 3)

halt

1
/ (hɔːlt) /

noun

an interruption or end to activity, movement, or progress
mainly British a minor railway station, without permanent buildings
call a halt to put an end (to something); stop

noun, sentence substitute

a command to halt, esp as an order when marching

verb

to come or bring to a halt

Word Origin for halt

C17: from the phrase to make halt, translation of German halt machen, from halten to hold 1, stop

British Dictionary definitions for halting (3 of 3)

halt

2
/ (hɔːlt) /

verb (intr)

(esp of logic or verse) to falter or be defective
to waver or be unsure
archaic to be lame

adjective

archaic
  1. lame
  2. (as collective noun; preceded by the)the halt

noun

archaic lameness

Word Origin for halt

Old English healt lame; related to Old Norse haltr, Old High German halz lame, Greek kólos maimed, Old Slavonic kladivo hammer
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

Idioms and Phrases with halting

halt

see call a halt; come to a halt; grind to a halt.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.