Waverings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An instance of fluctuating or being indecisive in an opinion, direction, or choice
2. characterized by uncertainty and a lack of firmness in making decisions
3. displaying a tendency to alternate or vacillate between alternatives or positions

Etymology: "Waverings" is the plural of "wavering," a noun meaning moments of doubt or indecision. It is formed from "waver" plus the suffix "-ing," which in English turns a verb into a noun naming the action or its result. The suffix traces back through Old English "-ung" and Middle English "-ynge" to an ancient Germanic ending, so the noun itself is a plain, transparent formation built on an everyday verb. The verb "waver" is the more colourful part of the story. It descends from the same Germanic stem that gave English "wave," so the sense of moving back and forth, like a flag or a flame, lies at its root. A waver is literally someone or something that swings to and fro, and the leap from physical swaying to mental swaying is an easy one to follow: a mind that cannot settle sways between options just as a banner sways in the wind.

Synonyms: hesitations, fluctuations, vacillations, oscillations, indecisions