waver
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Old Norse vafra (“to flicker”).
Pronunciation [edit]
- (UK) IPA: /ˈweɪ.və(ɹ)/, X-SAMPA: /"weI.v@(r)/
- (US) IPA: /ˈweɪ.vɚ/, X-SAMPA: /"weI.v@`/
- Rhymes: -eɪvə(r)
- Homophone: waiver
Verb [edit]
waver (third-person singular simple present wavers, present participle wavering, simple past and past participle wavered)
- (intransitive) To sway back and forth; to totter or reel.
- Flowers wavered in the breeze.
- (intransitive) To flicker, glimmer, quiver, as a weak light.
- (intransitive) To fluctuate or vary, as commodity prices or a poorly sustained musical pitch.
- (intransitive) To shake or tremble, as the hands or voice.
- His voice wavered when the reporter brought up the controversial topic.
- (intransitive) To falter; become unsteady; begin to fail or give way.
- 1903, Bill Arp, From the Uncivil War to Date
- ...and that when a man was in the wrong his courage wavered, and his nerves became unsteady, and so he couldn't fight to advantage and was easily overcome.
- 1903, Bill Arp, From the Uncivil War to Date
- (intransitive) To be indecisive between choices; to feel or show doubt or indecision; to vacillate.
Translations [edit]
sway back and forth
flicker, glimmer, quiver
shake or tremble
falter; become unsteady; begin to fail or give way
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be indecisive between choices; to feel or show doubt or indecision; to vacillate
Noun [edit]
waver (plural wavers)
- An act of wavering, vacillating, etc.
- Someone who waves, enjoys waving, etc.
- I felt encouraged by all the enthusiastic wavers in the crowd.
- The Fourth of July brings out all the flag wavers.
- Johnny is such a little waver; everyone who passes by receives his preferred greeting.
- Someone who specializes in waving (hair treatment).
- A tool that accomplishes hair waving.
- (UK, dialect, dated) A sapling left standing in a fallen wood.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)
- A darkwaver; a fan of darkwave music.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of alt.gothic newsgroup to this entry?)
Translations [edit]
act of wavering, vacillating
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someone who specializes in waving
tool that accomplishes hair waving