hesitation
n. uncountable B1 Intermediate US //ˌhɛzəˈteɪʃən// UK //hˌɛsɪtˈeɪʃən// hes·i·ta·tion
n. a pause before doing something because you are unsure or nervous. You show hesitation when you need a moment to think or feel confident.
n. the act of pausing before acting or speaking, typically due to uncertainty, doubt, or reluctance.
She showed hesitation before answering the question.
His hesitation to sign the contract worried the sales team.
There was a moment of hesitation in her voice, suggesting she had not fully considered the consequences of her decision.
From Latin haesitātiōnem, accusative singular of haesitātiō (“hesitating, stammering”), from haesitō (“hesitate”). Displaced native Old English ġewand.