dither

Meaning

Verb

1. To tremble, shake, or shiver with cold.
2. To be uncertain or unable to make a decision about doing something.
3. To do something nervously.
4. To render an approximation of (an image or graphic) by using dot patterns to simulate the appearance of colors or shades not in the system palette.
5. To intentionally add noise to a signal to randomize errors.

Noun

1. The state of being undecided.
2. A form of noise which is intentionally applied to randomize errors which occur in the processing of both digital audio and digital video data.
3. The use of dot patterns to approximate colors not available in the palette.

Synonyms

hesitate

vacillate

pother

flap

waver

tizzy

fuss

shilly-shally

tremble

shiver

confusion

dawdle

dicker

discomposure

dismayed

disorder

disquiet

disquietude

disturbance

embarrassment

excitement

falter

fidget

flush

fluster

flustered

fool around

fret

hang out

hover

jitters

jumpiness

linger

oscillate

perplex

perturbation

petulance

quake

quiver

rampage

restiveness

restlessness

scruple

shake

🫨

shrink

shudder

spurt

straddle

tenderize

trembling

Translations

titremek

temblor

titreme

vacilar

Schwanken

zittern

vacil·lar

vaciller

temblar

tremer

Aufregung

hésiter

trembler

verdattert sein

inquietar-se

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈdɪðə/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: dideren

Cognate with Middle English: bididren

Cognate with Old English: bedidrian

Cognate with Old High German: zittarōn

Cognate with German: zittern

Cognate with Old Norse: titra

Cognate with Faroese: titra

Cognate with Icelandic: titra

In summary

Variant of didder, from Middle English dideren (“to tremble”). Compare Middle English bididren, bididdren (“to seduce, deceive”), from Old English bedidrian, bedyderian (“to deceive, trick”).
Alternatively, perhaps with expressive voicing from *titeren, from Proto-Germanic *titrōną. If so a doublet of teeter and cognate with Old High German zittarōn (German zittern) and Old Norse titra (Faroese titra, Icelandic titra). Alternatively an unrelated reduplicative onomatopoeia.