falter — OAT · Shobdo

falter

verb

1 when war seemed imminent the government faltered:

hesitate, delay, drag one's feet, stall, think twice, get cold feet, change one's mind, waver, oscillate, fluctuate, vacillate, be undecided, be indecisive, be irresolute, see-saw, yo-yo;

British haver, hum and haw;

informal sit on the fence, dilly-dally, shilly-shally, pussyfoot around, blow hot and cold;

rare tergiversate.

2 she faltered over his name:

stammer, stutter, stumble, speak haltingly, hesitate, pause, halt, splutter, flounder, blunder, fumble.