hesitate
v.v. to pause before you do or say something because you are not sure or you feel nervous.
v. to pause before acting or speaking, typically due to uncertainty, indecision, or reluctance.
Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
She started to open the door but seemed to hesitate for a moment before finally walking inside.
Investors often hesitate when the market shows signs of volatility, preferring to wait for a period of sustained stability before committing significant capital to new ventures.
Borrowed from Latin haesitātus, perfect passive participle of haesitō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), intensive of haereō (“to hesitate, stick fast; to hang or hold fast”). Displaced native Old English wandian. Compare French hésiter.
The verb is intransitive; it is frequently followed by an infinitive starting with 'to'.
I hesitated of calling him.I hesitated to call him.When followed by another action, this verb takes a 'to-infinitive' rather than a prepositional phrase with a gerund.