Indecision

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Indecision \In`de*ci"sion\, n. [Pref. in- not + decision: cf. F.
     ind['e]cision.]
     Lack of decision; lack of settled purpose, or of firmness;
     indetermination; wavering of mind; irresolution; vacillation;
     hesitation.
     [1913 Webster]


  
           The term indecision . . . implies an idea very nicely
           different from irresolution; yet it has a tendency to
           produce it.                              --Shenstone.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Indecision . . . is the natural accomplice of violence.
                                                    --Burke.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  indecision
       n 1: doubt concerning two or more possible alternatives or
            courses of action; "his indecision was only momentary
            but the opportunity was lost" [syn: {indecisiveness}, {irresolution}]
       2: the trait of irresolution; a lack of firmness of character
          or purpose; "the king's incurable indecisiveness caused
          turmoil in his court" [syn: {indecisiveness}] [ant: {decisiveness},
           {decisiveness}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  57 Moby Thesaurus words for "indecision":
     ambitendency, ambivalence, capriciousness, chance, chanciness,
     change of mind, changeableness, double-mindedness, dubiety,
     dubiousness, erraticism, erraticness, fence-sitting,
     fence-straddling, fickleness, fluctuation, hesitancy, hesitation,
     incalculability, incertitude, inconstancy, indecisiveness,
     indemonstrability, indeterminacy, indetermination, indeterminism,
     infirmity of purpose, instability, irresolution, luck,
     mercuriality, mugwumpery, mugwumpism, randomness, second thoughts,
     shilly-shally, shilly-shallying, suspense, suspensefulness,
     tergiversation, to-and-fro, unaccountability, uncertainness,
     uncertainty, uncertainty principle, undecidedness,
     undeterminedness, unforeseeableness, unpredictability,
     unprovability, unsettledness, unsettlement, unsureness,
     unverifiability, vacillation, wavering, whimsicality
  
  

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  INDECISION, n.  The chief element of success; "for whereas," saith Sir
  Thomas Brewbold, "there is but one way to do nothing and divers way to
  do something, whereof, to a surety, only one is the right way, it
  followeth that he who from indecision standeth still hath not so many
  chances of going astray as he who pusheth forwards" -- a most clear
  and satisfactory exposition on the matter.
      "Your prompt decision to attack," said Genera Grant on a certain
  occasion to General Gordon Granger, "was admirable; you had but five
  minutes to make up your mind in."
      "Yes, sir," answered the victorious subordinate, "it is a great
  thing to be know exactly what to do in an emergency.  When in doubt
  whether to attack or retreat I never hesitate a moment -- I toss us a
  copper."
      "Do you mean to say that's what you did this time?"
      "Yes, General; but for Heaven's sake don't reprimand me:  I
  disobeyed the coin."