Vacillate

Definitions: Vacillate

Vacillate

Verb

1. Be undecided about something.

2. Move in an unstable manner.

Date "vacillate" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1860. (references)

Etymology: Vacillate \Vac"il*late\, transitive verb. [imperative past participle Vacillated; present participle verb or noun Vacillating.]. (Websters 1913)

Synonyms: Vacillate

Synonyms: fluctuate (v), hover (v), waver (v). (additional references)

Context	Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus).
Changeableness	Verb: fluctuate, vary, waver, flounder, flicker, flitter, flit, flutter, shift, shuffle, shake, totter, tremble, vacillate, wamble, turn and turn about, ring the changes; sway to and fro, shift to and fro; change and change about; waffle, blow with the wind (irresolute); oscillate; vibrate between, two extremes, oscillate between, two extremes; alternate; have as man phases as the moon.
Evolution	Fluctuate, dance, curvet, reel, quake; quiver, quaver; shake, flicker; wriggle; roll, toss, pitch; flounder, stagger, totter; move up and down, bob up and down; AdVerb: pass and repass, ebb and flow, come and go; vacillate; teeter.
Irresolution	Vacillate; change; retract; fluctuate; pendulate; alternate; (oscillate); keep off and on, play fast and loose; blow hot and cold; (caprice).
Tergiversation	Verb: change one's mind, change one's intention, change one's purpose, change one's note; abjure, renounce; withdraw from; (relinquish); waver, vacillate; wheel round, turn round, veer round; turn a pirouette; go over from one side to another, pass from one side to another, change from one side to another, skip from one side to another; go to the rightabout; box the compass, shift one's ground, go upon another tack.
Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus.

Crosswords: Vacillate

English words defined with "vacillate": Vacillated, Vacillatory ♦ Wabble. (references)

Etymologies containing "vacillate": vacillant. (references)

"Vacillate" is generally used as a lexical verb (infinitive) -- approximately 80.00% of the time. "Vacillate" is used about 5 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted)

Parts of Speech	Percent	Usage per 100 Million Words	Rank in English
Lexical Verb (infinitive)	80%	4	175,879
Lexical Verb (base form)	20%	1	339,140
Total	100.00%	5	N/A

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.

Language		Translations for "vacillate"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.
Albanian		ngurroj (boggle, demur, dither, falter, halt, hang, hesitate, linger, pendulate, scruple, wabble, waver, wobble), luhatem (Bicker, hover), lëkundem (dangle, falter, halt, hang, hesitate, jolt, jumble, nod, nutate, oscillate, pendulate, reel, rock, shake, shift, stagger, sway, swing, totter, vibrate, wabble, wallow, wamble, waver, wobble). (various references)

Arabic		‏تذبذب (balance, fluctuation, gyrate, oscillate, pulsate, vacillation, vibrate, vibration, wave, waver, weave, whiffle, wiggle, wobble), ‏تخطر (mince, vacillation), ‏تأرجح (fluctuate, fluctuation, hover, overbalance, pitch, rock, rocking, seesaw, sway, swing, teeter, vacillation), ‏تردد (ambivalence, backwards, balance, be in two minds, boggle, crane, demur, difficulty, dither, fainting, falter, flicker, float, fluctuate, fluctuation, hang, haunt, hesitance, hesitancy, hesitate, hesitation, hover, hum and haw, indecision, irresolution, pause, perplexity, puzzle over, reticence, reverberate, scruple, shilly shally, sound, stick, stop, stumble, tergiversation, timidity, vacillation, vibrate, vibration, waver, wobble, worry). (various references)

Bulgarian		трептя (blink, oscillate, throb, tingle, tremble, tremor, vibrate, waver, wink), колебая се (balance, boggle, chop, crane, demur, dilly dally, dither, falter, fluctuate, hang back, hesitate, hover, hum and haw, jib, pause, pendulate, scruple, seesaw, shilly shally, teeter, vibrate, waver, whiffle, wobble, yo-yo), не се решавам (yo-yo), люлея се (nutate, oscillate, rock, seesaw, sway, swing, teeter, toss, undulate, vibrate), двоумя се (hesitate, pendulate, waver). (various references)

Czech		váhat (be in a dither, delay, dither, falter, hang back, hesitate, hold back, procrastinate, scruple, shilly shally, stagger, temporize, waver), kolísat (falter, fluctuate, oscillate, shake, stagger, sway, vary, waver, wobble), být nerozhodný (dither, hesitate, sit on the fence). (various references)

Farsi		مرددبودن (Hesitate, Linger, Oscillate, Scotch, Wobble), نوسان کردن (Jib, Oscillate, Rock, Vibrate, Waver), تلوتلوخوردن (Dodder, Lurch, Reel, Stagger, Stumble, Teeter, Totter, Wobble), تردیدداشتن (Scruple, Stagger), جنبیدن (Move, Vibrate, Wag, Wiggle, Wobble), دل دل کردن , دودل بودن (Scruple, Waver). (various references)

Finnish		horjua (falter, stagger, totter, waver). (various references)

French		vaciller, hésiter. (various references)

German		schwanken (alternate, balancing, dither, fluctuate, hesitate, oscillate, oscillation, pitch, range, reel, rock, rocking, roll, seesaw, shake, stagger, swag, sway, swing, swinging, teeter, to dither (between), to falter, to fluctuate, to oscillate, to sway, totter, tumble, unsteadiness, vacillation, vary, vibrate, waver, wobble). (various references)

Greek		ταλαντεύομαι (dangle, fluctuate, oscillate, seesaw, shilly-sally, sway, swing, teeter, totter, wabble, waver, wobble). (various references)

Hebrew		לפקפק (doubt, falter, hesitate, query, suspect, waver, wobble), ל�"ת� ו�"�" (fluctuate, stagger, sway, teeter, totter, vibrate, waver), ל�"סס (boggle, falter, hesitate, hum and haw, waver). (various references)

Hungarian		tétovázik (demur, fluctuate, hesitate, hum and haw, to falter, to hesitate, to shilly-shally, to stagger, to vacillate, to wabble, to wobble, wiggle-waggle), ingadozik (fluctuate, pendulate, shilly shally, to fluctuate, to oscillate, to shilly-shally, to swag, to teeter, to vacillate, to wabble, to waver). (various references)

Indonesian		terombang ambing, bimbang (doubt, hesitate, indecisive, worried). (various references)

Italian		vacillare - barcollare, oscillare (balance, dither, flicker, fluctuate, jiggle, oscillate, range, rock, seesaw, sway, swing, to oscillate, wabble, waver, wobble), barcollare (falter, lurch, reel, stagger, sway, teeter, totter, wabble, waver, wobble). (various references)

Manx		leaystey (balancing, bank, boggle, brandish, dangle, fluctuate, fluctuating, heel, hesitate, hesitating, hesitation, loll, lolling, oscillate, oscillation, reel, reeling, rock, rocking, roll, see-saw, sway, swaying, swerve, swing, swing back, swinging, vacillating, vacillation, waddle; wavering, waddling; fluctuation, wave, wave of hand, waver, waver of fixture), dy ve eddyr daa choyrle. (various references)

Pig Latin		acillatevay.(various references)

Portuguese		vacilar (boggle, chop, crane, diddle, falter, flinch, fluctuate, hand baggage, hesitate, nidificate, nutate, oscillate, pendulate, quail, quiver, repose, shilly shally, shuffle, stagger, sway, teeter, toddle, totter, tremble, waver), oscilar (flap, float, fluctuate, oscillate, poise, quake, shimmy, sway, swing, totter, wabble, wave, waver, wobble), balançar-se (dangle, hesitate, lurch, teeter, wabble, waver, wobble). (various references)

Romanian		sta la îndoialã (veer), se clãtina (falter, lurch, quake, reel, shake, stagger, swerve, swing, totter, waddle, waggle, wobble), oscila (dally, dilly dally, dither, hesitate, librate, oscillate, rock, swing, vibrate, waver), fluctua (fluctuate, waver), ezita (back, boggle, crane, demur, falter, fluctuate, halt, hang, hesitate, hobble, hold back, pause, scruple, shilly shally, stagger, stand off, stand on, sway, veer, waver, wobble), codi (dilly dally, hesitate, waver), şovãi (back, boggle, falter, fluctuate, hang back, hesitate, linger, pause, shilly shally, shuffle, spare, stagger, waver). (various references)

Russian		колебаться (be torn between, dilly dally, dither, fluctuate, fluctuating, go seesaw, hand back, hang in the balance, hesitate, hover, nutate, oscillate, oscillated, pendulate, seesaw, shilly shally, shuttling, stumble at, swing, teeter, vibrate, waver, wavered, whiffle, whiffled). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian		trepereti (flicker, glisten, pulsate, tremble, vibrate, warble), snebivati (hesitate), kolebati se (dilly dally, dillydally, fluctuate, pause, waver). (various references)

Spanish		vacilar (balance, Dicker, dither, flicker, hang back, hesitate, hold back, pause, range, waver). (various references)

Swedish		vackla (boggle, dilly dally, falter, fluctuate, haver, hitch, hover, oscillate, pendulate, shilly shally, stagger, sway, teeter, totter, waver, wobble). (various references)

Turkish		tereddüd etmek (balk at, be vague about smth., dither, falter, halt, hesitate, oscillate, pause, pendulate, scruple, seesaw, shilly shally, stagger, stickle, vibrate, waver, wobble, yaw), kararsız olmak (back and fill, be hazy about, be in two minds, be uncertain, be vague about smth., dither, doubt, fluctuate, pendulate, seesaw), bocalamak (be in two minds, falter, flounder, fluctuate, fluster, get confused, halt, oscillate, stagger, teeter, waver, wobble). (various references)

Ukranian		коливатися (fluctuate, nutate, oscillate, quake, shimmy, sway, teeter, thrill, veer, wabble, wobble), вагатися (balance, boggle, deliberate, demur, dilly dally, falter, fluctuate, halt, hesitate, hover, oscillate, pause, stagger, vibrate, waver, whiffle). (various references)

Welsh		bwhwman (beat about), anwadalu (waver). (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

Language	Period	Translations
Latin	500 BCE-Modern	errabat, errabit, errando, errans, errant, errantem, errantes, erranti, errantia, errare, errarent, erraretis, errasse, errat, erratis, errato, erraverit, erraverunt, erravi, erravimus, errent, erret, error, oberraveris, oberraverit, oberrem. (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Language	Date	Source	Isaiah Chapter 29, Verse 9
Greek (transliterated)	250 BC	Septuagint	Ekluqhte kai eksthte kai kraipalhsate ouk apo sikera oude apo oinou
Latin	405	Vulgate	Obstupescite et admiramini fluctuate et vacillate inebriamini et non a vino movemini et non ebrietate
Middle English	1395	Wyclif	Bicometh alle stoneid, and wndreth; flotereth, and wagereth; `be ye drunken inwardli, and not of wyn; yee be moued, and not with drunkenesse.
Jacobean English	1611	King James	Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
Victorian English	1833	Webster	Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
Basic English	1964	Ogden	Be surprised and full of wonder; let your eyes be covered and be blind: be overcome, but not with wine; go with uncertain steps, but not because of strong drink.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Language	Isaiah Chapter 29, Verse 9
Bulgarian	Стойте смаяни и почудете се, Заслепете себе си и ослепейте; Те са пияни, но не от вино, Политат, но не от спиртно питие.
Cebuano	¶ Maghulat kamo ug manghibulong; panagkalipay kamo ug managpangabuta kamo: sila nangahubog, apan dili sa vino; sila nanagsamparay apan dili sa maisug nga ilimnon.
Chinese	� 們等候驚奇罷． � 們宴樂昏迷罷．他們醉了、卻非 � �' ．他們東 �' 西歪、卻非 � 濃 �' 。
Croatian	Stanite, skamenite se od èuda, oslijepite i obnevidite! Pijani su, ali ne od vina, posræu, ali ne od silna piæa.
Danish	Undres og studs, stir jer kun blinde, vær drukne uden Vin og rav uden Drik!
Dutch	Zij vertoeven, daarom verwondert u; zij zijn vrolijk, derhalve roept gijlieden; zij zijn dronken, maar niet van wijn; zij waggelen, maar niet van sterken drank.
Finnish	Hämmästykää ja ihmetelkää, tuijottakaa sokeiksi itsenne ja sokeiksi jääkää! He ovat juovuksissa, vaikkeivät viinistä, hoipertelevat, vaikkeivät väkijuomasta.
French	Soyez stupéfaits et étonnés! Fermez les yeux et devenez aveugles! Ils sont ivres, mais ce n`est pas de vin; Ils chancellent, mais ce n`est pas l`effet des liqueurs fortes.
German	Erstarret und werdet bestürzt, verblendet euch und werdet blind! Werdet trunken, doch nicht vom Wein, taumelt, doch nicht von starkem Getränk!
Haitian Creole	¶ Nou pral sezi, nou pral rete bèbè! Fèmen je nou pou nou pa wè! Nou pral sou, san nou pa menm bwè. N'ap titibe san nou pa pran yon gout gwòg!
Hungarian	Ámuljatok és bámuljatok, vakítsátok magatokat és megvakultok! részegek, de nem bortól, tántorognak, de nem részegítõ italtól.
Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari	Teruslah keheran-heranan dan menutup mata seperti orang buta! Jadilah mabuk, tetapi bukan karena minum anggur. Berjalanlah terhuyung-huyung, tetapi bukan karena minum arak.
Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama	Biarlah kamu berdiri dengan tercengang-cengang, biarlah kamu memandang seorang akan seorang dengan heranmu. Bahwa mabuklah mereka itu, tetapi bukan oleh air anggur, mereka itu berhuyung-huyung, tetapi bukan oleh minuman yang keras.
Italian	Stupite pure così da restare sbalorditi, chiudete gli occhi in modo da rimanere ciechi; ubriacatevi ma non di vino, barcollate ma non per effetto di bevande inebrianti.
Korean	너 희 �" 놀 라 � 놀 라 라 너 희 �" 소 경 이 되 � 소 경 이 되 라 그 �"� 의 취 함 이 포 도 주 로 인 함 이 아 니 며 그 �"� 의 비 틀 거 림 이 독 주 로 인 함 이 아 니 라
Maori	¶ E tu koutou, e miharo; e hari, a ka matapo: e haurangi ana ratou, ehara ia i te waina; e hurori ana, engari ehara i te wai kaha.
Norwegian	Stirr på hverandre og bli forvirret! Stirr eder blinde, og vær blinde! I er drukne, men ikke av vin; I raver, men ikke av sterk drikk.
Portuguese	Pasmai, e maravilhai-vos; cegai-vos e ficai cegos; bêbedos estão, mas não de vinho, andam cambaleando, mas não de bebida forte.
Rumanian	,,Rqmkneyi kncremeniyi wi uimiyi! Knchideyi ochii wi fiyi orbi!`` ,,Ei sknt beyi; dar nu de vin; se clatinq, dar nu din pricina bquturilor tari.
Russian	йЪХНМСКФЕУШ Й �"ЙЧЙФЕУШ: ПОЙ ПУМЕ� ЙМЙ �"ТХЗЙИ, Й УБНЙ ПУМЕ� МЙ; ПОЙ � ШСОЩ, ОП ОЕ ПФ ЧЙОБ, --ЫБФБАФУС, ОП ОЕ ПФ УЙЛЕТЩ;
Spanish	Quedad asombrados y maravillaos; cegaos y quedad ciegos. Embriagaos, pero no con vino; tambaleaos, pero no con licor.
Swedish	Stån där med häpnad, ja, varen häpna; stirren eder blinda, ja, varen blinda, I som ären druckna, men icke av vin, I som raglen, men icke av starka drycker.
Thai	จงรั้งรอและงงงวย จงร้องเรียกและร้องไห้ เขามึนเมา แต่ไม่ใช่�"้วยเหล้าองุ่น เขาโซเซ แต่ไม่ใช่�"้วยเมรัย
Ukrainian	¶ Одубійте й дивуйтесь, заліпіть собі очі й осліпніть! �'они повпивалися, та не вином, захитались, та не від п'янкого напою,
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Derivations
	Words beginning with "vacillate": vacillated, vacillates. (additional references)
Misspellings
	"Vacillate" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: vacalate, vaccilate, vaccillate, vacilate, vacillat, vascillate, vasillate, vassillate. (additional references)
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

# of Phoneme Matches	Pronunciation	Word(s) rhyming with "vacillate" (pronounced va"sulā't)
5	-s u l ā' t	encapsulate, insulate, isolate, oscillate.
4	-u l ā' t	accumulate, adulate, annihilate, articulate, assimilate, calculate, circulate, coagulate, congratulate, copulate, correlate, depopulate, distillate, emulate, escalate, extrapolate, flagellate, formulate, gastrulate, inoculate, interpolate, lanceolate, manipulate, miscalculate, mutilate, overregulate, percolate, populate, postulate, recalculate, recapitulate, reformulate, regulate, reregulate, simulate, speculate, stimulate, stipulate, strangulate, tabulate, titillate, undulate, ventilate.
3	-l ā' t	angulate, boilerplate, breastplate, capitulate, contemplate, ejaculate, electroplate, legislate, nameplate.
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams
	Words within the letters "a-a-c-e-i-l-l-t-v"
	-2 letters: clavate, lacteal, vallate, vatical.
	-3 letters: acetal, active, aecial, atavic, atelic, aviate, callet, caveat, laical, taille, telial, vacate, villae.
	-4 letters: aceta, aecia, alate, alive, avail, calla, calve, cavie, cavil, cella, celli, civet, clave, clavi, cleat, eclat, evict, ileac, ileal, lilac, telia, telic, tical, valet, vatic, villa, vitae, vital.
	-5 letters: acta, alae, alec, alit, call, cate, cave, ceil, cell, celt, cite, clit, etic, evil, ilea, lace, laic, late, lati, lava, lave, leal, leva, lice, lilt, lite, live, tace, tael, tail, tala, talc, tale, tali, tall, teal, tela, tell, tile, till, vail, vale, veal, veil, vela, vial, vice, vile, vill, vita.
	Words containing the letters "a-a-c-e-i-l-l-t-v"
	+1 letter: cavalletti, vacillated, vacillates.
	+3 letters: adjectivally, cultivatable.
	+4 letters: applicatively, circumvallate, collaborative, declaratively, facultatively.
	+5 letters: accumulatively, circumvallated, circumvallates, collaboratives, overanalytical.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.