demur

Meaning

Noun

An act of hesitation as to proceeding; a scruple; also, a suspension of action or decision; a pause, a stop.

Verb

1. (obsolete) To linger; to stay; to tarry
2. To delay; to pause; to suspend proceedings or judgment in view of a doubt or difficulty; to hesitate; to put off the determination or conclusion of an affair.
3. To scruple or object; to take exception; to oppose; to balk
4. To interpose a demurrer.
5. (obsolete) To suspend judgment concerning; to doubt of or hesitate about
6. (obsolete) To cause delay to; to put off

Synonyms

objection

demurrer

scruple

qualm

boggle

protest

except

object

balk

have one’s doubts

shy

demurral

contravene

controvert

countercheck

delay

diffidence

disagree

dispute

dissent

doubt

falter

gainsay

go against

grumble

hang back

hesitance

hesitancy

hesitate

hesitation

hold out

indecision

negative

negativism

oppose

opposition

pause

postulation

professing

proposition

recoil

rejoinder

resist

shilly shally

shirk

shrink

snub

stand

stand out

stand up

submission

thesis

vote down

ward off

waver

withstand

repugn

dilly dally

allegement

turn thumbs down

scruple to

allegation

doggle

antagonise

antagonize

assertion

averment

buck

challenge

claim

complain

compunction

conjecture

contention

Hyphenated as

de‧mur

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dɪˈmɜː(ɹ)/

Etymology

From Middle English demuren, from Anglo-Norman demorer (French demeurer), from Vulgar Latin demorō, Latin demoror (“to tarry”), from de- + moror (“to delay”). See alternative etymology in the Anglo-Norman ancestor.