Indecision

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: in=de=ci=sion

CIDE DICTIONARY

Indecision, n. [Pref. in- not + decision: cf. F. indécision.].

 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."  [1913 Webster]
"Indecision . . . is the natural accomplice of violence."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Indecision, n. lack of decision; hesitation.

Etymology

F ind{eacute}cision (as IN-(1), DECISION)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

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."

THESAURUS

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

ROGET THESAURUS

Indecision

Irresolution

N irresolution, infirmity of purpose, indecision, indetermination, undetermination, unsettlement, uncertainty, demur, suspense, hesitating, hesitation, hesitancy, vacillation, changeableness, fluctuation, alternation, caprice, fickleness, levity, legerete, pliancy, weakness, timidity, cowardice, half measures, waverer, ass between two bundles of hay, shuttlecock, butterfly, wimp, doughface, irresolute, infirm of purpose, double-minded, half-hearted, undecided, unresolved, undetermined, shilly-shally, fidgety, tremulous, hesitating, off one's balance, at a loss, vacillating, unsteady, unsteadfast, fickle, without ballast, capricious, volatile, frothy, light, lightsome, light-minded, giddy, fast and loose, weak, feeble-minded, frail, timid, wimpish, wimpy, cowardly, dough-faced, facile, pliant, unable to say 'no', easy-going revocable, reversible, irresolutely, irresolved, irresolvedly, in faltering accents, off and on, from pillar to post, seesaw, Int, how happy could I be with either!.

Absence of Choice

N absence of choice, no choice, Hobson's choice, first come first served, random selection, necessity, not a pin to choose, any, the first that comes, that or nothing, neutrality, indifference, indecision, arbitrariness, coercion (compulsion), neutral, neuter, indifferent, uninterested, undecided, either, who cares?, what difference does it make?, There's not a dime's worth of difference between t.