paused before acting or speaking, usually due to uncertainty or nervousness.
From Latin 'haesitatus,' derived from 'haerere' meaning 'to stick or adhere.' The idea of mental 'sticking' evolved into the modern sense of pausing or faltering.
Neuroscientists have found that hesitation often indicates higher intelligence—people who pause before responding tend to give more thoughtful answers than rapid responders, suggesting doubt can be a feature, not a bug.
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