avoid back down balance be dilatory blench blink boggle cringe dawdle debate deliberate demur dodge drag draw back duck evade fade fall back fall behind falter fear fight shy of filibuster flinch gain time get behind hang hang fire hang off have qualms hem and haw hesitate hold off hover hum and haw jib lag linger linger behind loiter make bones about make time pause play for time ponder procrastinate pull back quail recoil reel back retreat scruple sheer off shilly-shally shrink shrink back shy shy at sidestep stall stall for time stall off start aside start back stick at stickle stooge around stop to consider straddle the fence straggle strain strain at swerve talk against time temporize think twice about trail trail behind turn aside waver weasel weasel out wince withdraw yield