hem and haw (v.)

• balance
• debate
• deliberate
• demur
• dodge
• duck
• equivocate
• evade
• falter
• fear
• fence
• halt
• haw
• hedge
• hem
• hesitate
• hover
• hum
• jib
• palter
• parry
• pause
• ponder
• prevaricate
• pussyfoot
• recoil
• retreat
• scruple
• shift
• shrink
• shy
• sidestep
• stammer
• stickle
• stumble
• stutter
• swerve
• tergiversate
• waffle
• withdraw
• yield