1. (v. t.) To thrash in the chaff; also, to cleanse or sift, as barley.

2. (v. & n.) To hesitate; to speak brokenly or weakly; to stammer; as, his tongue falters.

3. (v. & n.) To tremble; to totter; to be unsteady.

4. (v. & n.) To hesitate in purpose or action.

5. (v. & n.) To fail in distinctness or regularity of exercise; -- said of the mind or of thought.

6. (v. t.) To utter with hesitation, or in a broken, trembling, or weak manner.

7. (v. i.) Hesitation; trembling; feebleness; an uncertain or broken sound; as, a slight falter in her voice.

Bebung abandon hope back down back out balance bashfulness blench blunder bob bobble boggle boggling bounce bump careen career caution cautiousness chatter chicken chicken out compunction dally dawdle debate delay deliberate demur demurral desert under fire despair despair of despond didder diffidence dillydally dither drag faltering fear fight shy of flag flinch flounce flounder flutter funk funk out get cold feet give up give up hope give way goof off grimace halt hang back hang in doubt hang off have an ague have qualms haw hem hem and haw hesitance hesitancy hesitate hesitating hesitation hold off hover hum hum and haw hustle jactitate jar jerk jib jig jigget jiggle jog joggle jolt jostle jounce jump labor lag linger loiter lollygag lose courage lose heart lose hope lurch make bones about mammer modesty objection pause pitch pitch and plunge plunge ponder protest pull back quail quake qualm qualm of conscience qualmishness quaver quiver recoil reel retreat rictus rock roll scruple scrupulosity scrupulousness scuttle seethe shake shilly-shally shilly-shallying shiver shock shrink shrinking shudder shy shy at shyness sink into despair skedaddle stagger stammer stick at stickle stickling stop to consider straddle the fence strain strain at struggle stumble stutter sway swing tarry tentativeness think twice think twice about thrash about tic topple toss toss and tumble toss and turn totter trail tremble tremolando tremolant tremolo tremor trill trillet trilleto trillo tumble twitch twitter vacillate vibrate vibrato volutation wallop wallow waste time waver welter whine wince withdraw wobble yield yield to despair