waver

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• Received-Pronunciation: /ˈweɪvə/
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• Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• General-American: /ˈweɪvəɹ/
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• homophone: waiver
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• rhymes with -eɪvə(ɹ)
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• CMU ARPABET: W EY1 V ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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The verb is derived from Middle English waveren (“to move back and forth, swing; to move unsteadily, totter; to shake, tremble; to wander; (figurative) to be changeable or unstable; to deviate”), and then possibly: * from Old English (compare Old English wǣfre (“flickering, quivering, wavering; active, nimble (?)”)), related to Old English wafian (“to wave”) from Proto-West Germanic *wabbjan (“to cause to weave; to entangle; to wrap”), from Proto-Germanic *wabjaną (“to cause to weave; to entangle; to wrap”); and/or * from Old Norse vafra (“to move unsteadily, flicker”), probably related to vefa (“to weave”); both from Proto-Germanic *webaną (“to weave”), from Proto-Indo-European *webh- (“to braid, weave”). Doublet of wave. The noun is derived from the verb.

From wave (verb) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns).

Origin uncertain, possibly from waive (“(obsolete) to disregard, overlook”). According to the Oxford English Dictionary the early forms waiver, wayver, weaver indicate that the word is probably not derived from wave (verb).

109 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Bulgarian: колебание (kolebanie) — act of moving back and forth, swinging, or waving — see also flutter, tremble
• Finnish: epäröinti — act of moving back and forth, swinging, or waving — see also flutter, tremble
• Finnish: heilunta — act of moving back and forth, swinging, or waving — see also flutter, tremble
• Finnish: horjunta — act of moving back and forth, swinging, or waving — see also flutter, tremble
• Finnish: huojunta — act of moving back and forth, swinging, or waving — see also flutter, tremble
• Finnish: lepatus — act of moving back and forth, swinging, or waving — see also flutter, tremble
• Finnish: liehunta — act of moving back and forth, swinging, or waving — see also flutter, tremble
• Finnish: värinä — act of moving back and forth, swinging, or waving — see also flutter, tremble
• Dutch: wuiver — one who waves their arms, or causes something to swing or wave
• Dutch: zwaaier — one who waves their arms, or causes something to swing or wave
• Finnish: viittoilija — one who waves their arms, or causes something to swing or wave
• Finnish: vilkuttaja — one who waves their arms, or causes something to swing or wave
• Finnish: kähertäjä — person who specializes in treating hair to make it wavy
• Bulgarian: маша (maša) — tool used to make hair wavy
• Finnish: käherrin — tool used to make hair wavy
• Finnish: jätetty taimi — sapling or other young tree left standing when other trees around it have been felled
• Bulgarian: развявам се (razvjavam se) — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Czech: chvět se — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Czech: klátit se — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Dutch: wuiven — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Dutch: wiegen — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Dutch: zwaaien — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Finnish: huojua — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Finnish: liehua — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• French: vaciller — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Greenlandic: sakavoq — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Greenlandic: ukamarpoq — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Japanese: 揺らぐ (yuragu) — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Latin: vacillō — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Serbo-Croatian: њихати се — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Serbo-Croatian: тетурати се — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Serbo-Croatian: njihati se — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Serbo-Croatian: teturati se — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Spanish: balancearse — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Spanish: ondear — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Tamil: தள்ளாடு (taḷḷāṭu) — to sway back and forth, as if about to fall — see also reel, stagger, totter
• Bulgarian: изнемогвам (iznemogvam) — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Bulgarian: изнемощявам (iznemoštjavam) — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Bulgarian: отмалявам (otmaljavam) — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Chinese Mandarin: 動搖 /动摇 (dòngyáo) — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Czech: ochabovat — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Dutch: wankelen — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Finnish: horjua — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Greenlandic: isumaa oqippoq — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Italian: vacillare — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Latin: labō — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Māori: kōrapa — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Māori: manei — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Māori: mānenei — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Māori: ngākaurua — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Māori: takahuirangi — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Serbo-Croatian: колебати се — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Serbo-Croatian: kolebati se — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Serbo-Croatian: pokolebati se — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Spanish: flaquear — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Spanish: vacilar — to begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve — see also falter, flinch, give way
• Bulgarian: двоумя се (dvoumja se) — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Bulgarian: колебая се (kolebaja se) — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Czech: být nerozhodný — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Czech: váhat — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Czech: zaváhat — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Dutch: twijfelen — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Dutch: weifelen — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Finnish: epäröidä — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Finnish: horjua — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Greenlandic: aalajavoq — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Hungarian: habozik — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Latin: vacillō — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Māori: kōrapa — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Māori: mānenei — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Portuguese: vacilar — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Serbo-Croatian: колебати се — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Serbo-Croatian: kolebati se — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Tamil: தயங்கு (tayaṅku) — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Tamil: அலை (alai) — to feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices — see also vacillate
• Bulgarian: треперя (treperja) — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Czech: třást se — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Czech: chvět se — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Dutch: beven — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Dutch: schudden — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Finnish: täristä — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Finnish: väristä — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Greenlandic: sajuppoq — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Japanese: 揺らぐ (yuragu) — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Serbo-Croatian: трепѐрити — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Serbo-Croatian: trepèriti — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Swedish: skälva — of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady — see also shake, tremble
• Bulgarian: трепкам (trepkam) — of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver — see also flicker, glimmer, quiver
• Czech: třepotat se — of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver — see also flicker, glimmer, quiver
• Czech: mihotat se — of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver — see also flicker, glimmer, quiver
• Dutch: flikkeren — of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver — see also flicker, glimmer, quiver
• Dutch: flitsen — of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver — see also flicker, glimmer, quiver
• Finnish: lepattaa — of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver — see also flicker, glimmer, quiver
• Greenlandic: angaluppoq — of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver — see also flicker, glimmer, quiver
• Russian: дрожа́ть (drožátʹ) — of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver — see also flicker, glimmer, quiver
• Russian: колыха́ться (kolyxátʹsja) — of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver — see also flicker, glimmer, quiver
• Serbo-Croatian: treperiti — of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver — see also flicker, glimmer, quiver
• Bulgarian: варирам (variram) — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary
• Czech: kolísat — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary
• Dutch: schommelen — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary
• Dutch: variëren — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary
• Finnish: heilua — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary
• Ido: fluktuar — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary
• Serbo-Croatian: вари́рати — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary
• Serbo-Croatian: varírati — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary
• Spanish: fluctuar — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary
• Spanish: oscilar — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary
• Spanish: variar — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary
• Tamil: அலை (alai) — chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary — see also change, fluctuate, vary