I.v. freq. n. [haereo], to stick fast, remain fixed in a place.
I. Lit. (rare; “not in Cic.): ut, si eam paludem Romani perrumpere conarentur, haesitantes premerent ex loco superiore,” Caes. B. G. 7, 19, 2: “ita in vadis haesitantis frumenti acervos sedisse illitos limo,” Liv. 2, 5, 3; Lucr. 6, 334; 5, 697.—
b. Prov.: “haesitare in eodem luto,” i. e. to be exposed to the same danger, Ter. Phorm. 5, 2, 15.—
II. Trop. (opp. firmness), to be uncertain, hesitating. *
A. In speech: “linguā haesitantes,” hesitating, stammering, Cic. de Or. 1, 25, 115.—
B. In mind, to be uncertain, undecided, to be at a loss, to hesitate (so most freq.; cf.: “cunctor, moror, tardo): dubitant, haesitant, revocant se interdum,” Cic. Ac. 2, 17, 52: “cum haesitaret, cum teneretur, quaesivi, etc.,” id. Cat. 2, 6, 13: “in novis rebus haesitare,” id. Ac. 2, 5, 15; cf.: “Carbo ignarus legum, haesitans in majorum institutis,” not well versed in, id. de Or. 1, 10, 40: “num in eo, qui sint hi testes, haesitatis? id. Fragm. Or. p. Corn. 2, p. 453 Orell.: haesitavit ob eam causam, quod nesciret,” id. de Or. 1, 51, 220; id. Fin. 2, 6, 18: “itaque non haesitans respondebo,” id. Ac. 1, 2, 4: “ubi ad pecuniae mentionem ventum erat, haesitabat,” Liv. 44, 25, 9: “ut deliberare, non haesitare videamur,” Quint. 10, 7, 22.—Impers. pass.: “de mutando rei publicae statu haesitatum erat,” Suet. Claud. 11.
