cunctation
(kŭngk-tā′shən)
noun
Definition
Procrastination; delay.
Examples
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Though Patience suffers in the Modern Crush, Perchance the Socialistic perorator Might learn a lesson from the great Cunctator!
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The rule of Cunctator must have an end, for the rashness of Scipio can only end this war.
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He fought again at Cannae, and was, with the son of old Fabius Cunctator, among the very few young officers who escaped alive.
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Cunctator Meade may have some lucid moment, and punish Lee for his impertinence.
Did You Know?
A cunctator has a habit of postponing or delaying action, often out of laziness. When you come across this unusual word, it’s very often capitalized — in this case, it refers specifically to the Roman statesman Fabius Maximus, who became well-known for his cautious military strategy against the Carthaginians during the Second Punic War in the 200s BCE. He was called the Cuncator, Latin for “delayer.”
Origin
[Latin cūnctātiō, cūnctātiōn-, from cūnctātus, past participle of cūnctārī, to delay; see konk- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
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