RELUCTANCE

reluctance, hesitancy, hesitation, disinclination, indisposition

(noun) a certain degree of unwillingness; “a reluctance to commit himself”; “his hesitancy revealed his basic indisposition”; “after some hesitation he agreed”

reluctance

(noun) (physics) opposition to magnetic flux (analogous to electric resistance)

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

reluctance (countable and uncountable, plural reluctances)

Unwillingness to do something.

Hesitancy in taking some action.

(physics) That property of a magnetic circuit analogous to resistance in an electric circuit.

Source: Wiktionary


Re*luc"tance, Re*luc"tan*cy, n. Etym: [See Reluctant.]

Definition: The state or quality of being reluctant; repugnance; aversion of mind; unwillingness; -- often followed by an infinitive, or by to and a noun, formerly sometimes by against. "Tempering the severity of his looks with a reluctance to the action." Dryden. He had some reluctance to obey the summons. Sir W. Scott. Bear witness, Heaven, with what reluctancy Her helpless innocence I doom to die. Dryden.

Syn. See Dislike.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

11 January 2025

COWBERRY

(noun) low evergreen shrub of high north temperate regions of Europe and Asia and America bearing red edible berries


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.

coffee icon