unwavering

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English

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WOTD – 19 September 2022

Etymology

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From un- (prefix meaning ‘not’) +‎ wavering (“being in doubt, indecisive”).[1]

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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unwavering (comparative more unwavering, superlative most unwavering)

  1. Not wavering.
    1. Always on course and steady.
      Synonyms: constant, nonwavering, staunch, steadfast, strong-handed, tough-minded, unshakable, unshaking
      Antonym: wavering
      • 1721, John Strype, “The Lady Mary’s Concern with the King and Council, for Retaining Mass in Her Family. […]”, in Ecclesiastical Memorials; Relating Chiefly to Religion, and Its Reformation, under the Reigns of King Henry VIII. King Edward VI. and Queen Mary the First: […], volume III, London: […] [J. Barfield] for Samuel Bagster, […], published 1816, →OCLC, book II, page 7:
        And on this occasion she [Lady Mary, later Mary I of England] wrote the king a letter (which these noblemen seem to be the carriers of) chiefly to shew how unwavering she continued in her formerly declared purpose about religion; […]
      • [1800?], S[amuel] T[aylor] Coleridge, “The Night-scene: A Dramatic Fragment”, in Sibylline Leaves: A Collection of Poems, London: Rest Fenner, […], published 1817, →OCLC, page 140:
        [B]y that winding passage, to that bower / I now will go—all objects there will teach me / Unwavering love, and singleness of heart.
      • 1856, James Anthony Froude, “The Catholic Martyrs”, in History of England from the Fall of Wolsey to the Death of Elizabeth, volume II, London: John W[illiam] Parker and Son, […], →OCLC, page 341:
        [T]he religious orders who were most unwavering in their allegiance to the papacy, were pressing their opposition to the divorce into rebellion.
    2. Not doubting or unsure; decisive, firm, resolute.
      Synonyms: certain, sure; see also Thesaurus:certain
      Antonyms: indecisive, in two minds, irresolute, of two minds, uncertain, undecided, vacillating, wavering
      • 1668, Franciscus Euistor the Palæopolite [pseudonym; Henry More], “A Brief Discourse of the True Grounds of the Certainty of Faith in Points of Religion”, in Divine Dialogues, Containing Sundry Disquisitions & Instructions Concerning the Attributes of God and His Providence in the World. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Joseph Downing […], published 1713, →OCLC, page 579:
        For, foraſmuch as Faith properly ſo called is nothing but an unvvavering Aſſent to ſome Doctrine propoſed upon the ground of infallible Teſtimony, there muſt be ſome Reaſon to perſuade us that that Teſtimony is infallible; […]

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ^ “unwavering, adj.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, December 2021; “unwavering, adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
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