• Dither

    Pronunciation

    • UK IPA: /ˈdɪðə(ɹ)/
    • Rhymes: -ɪðə(r)

    Origin

    From didder from Middle English didderen, meaning "to tremble".

    Full definition of dither

    Noun

    dither

    (uncountable)
    1. The state of being undecided.
      • 2002, Thomas P. Glynn, A Child's Christmas In Chicago, page 59:Everyone was in a dither; either in it or about to get in it or just climbing out of it. Naturally, the Madam was not in a dither. Dither was a foreign concept to her.
    2. A form of noise which is intentionally applied to randomize errors which occur in the processing of both digital audio and digital video data

    Verb

    1. (obsolete) To tremble, shake, or shiver with cold.
      • 1913, D. H. Lawrence, ,Presently he came running out of the scullery, with the soapy water dripping from him, dithering with cold.
    2. To be uncertain or unable to make a decision about doing something.
      • 2012, The Economist, Sept. 22nd issue, ''Indian Reform: At LastThe dithering Mr Singh of recent times may worry that his reform proposals are already too bold. The reforming Mr Singh of yore would see them as just the start.
    3. To do something nervously.
    4. (computer graphics) To render an approximation of (an image, etc.) by using dot patterns in similar colours to those that are unavailable on the system.

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