שהי, שָׁהָה, שָׁהָא (b. h. שאה) 1) to stand still, pause; to dwell, tarry. Shebu. II, 3 או שש׳ בכדי השתחוואה or if the unclean person stayed in the Temple long enough for prostration. Ib. 17ᵃ (mixed dict.) בדלא ש׳ when he did not stand still (but walked constantly though slowly). Yeb. VI, 7 נשא אשה וש׳ עמה וכ׳ if one married a woman and lived with her ten years without issue. Ib. רשאי השני לִשְׁהוֹת וכ׳ the second husband may live with her ten years. Ib. 36ᵇ כל ששהא וכ׳ a human birth that survived thirty days (although born in the eighth month) is not considered an abortion; Sabb. 135ᵇ ששהה. Ber. V, 1 חסידים … שׁוֹהִין שעה וכ׳ the pious men of olden times used to tarry a while (in the synagogue) before prayer &c. Ib. 32ᵇ היו שוהין שעה … וחוזרין ושוהין וכ׳ they waited an hour, and prayed an hour, and tarried again an hour (at synagogue); a. fr.—Esp. (ritual) to pause during the act of slaughtering (which makes the animal so cut unfit to eat). Ḥull. 2ᵇ שמא יִשְׁהוּ וכ׳ they might pause, might press the knife &c., v. שְׁהִיָּיה. Ib. 12ᵃ; a. fr. —2) to delay, v. infra.
    Hif. - הִשְׁהָה, הִשְׁהָא to cause delay; to detain, restrain. Nidd. 31ᵃ sq. מהוך שמַשְׁהִין עצמן וכ׳ because they restrain themselves (retard effusion) &c. Snh. 76ᵃ המַשְׁהֶא בתו וכ׳ he who retards (the marriage of) his marriageable daughter. Gen. R. s. 85 והן מַשְׁהִין אותן וכ׳ and they (the sons of Eli) caused them to stay away from their home one night. Lev. R. s. 37, beg. שנודר ומשהה וכ׳ who vows (a sacrifice) and procrastinates the fulfilment of his vow. Ib. ע"י שנדר ושָׁהָה את נדרו (perh. שִׁהָה, Pi.) because he had vowed and was procrastinating &c. Keth. 61ᵃ הכל משהין בפני השמש וכ׳ you may postpone every dish before the waiter (keep him from eating while he is serving), except &c.; a. fr.
    Pi. - שִׁיהָה same, to delay the use of, let stand. Y. Ter. VIII, 45ᶜ top אסור לְשָׁהוֹתוֹ ואם שִׁיהוֹ וכ׳ (or לַשְׁהוֹתוֹ, Hif.) you must not let it stand, but if one did, and it turned into vinegar &c. Ib. ואם שִׁיהָן and if one did let them stand; a. e.
    Hithpa. - הִשְׁתָּהֶה,
    Nithpa. - נִשְׁתָּהֶא, נִשְׁתָּהֶה 1) to be delayed. R. Hash. IV, 4 פעם אחת נִשְׁתָּהוּ … מלבוא once the witnesses (that had seen the new moon rise) were delayed from coming (were late). Nidd. 27ᵃ מעשה ונ׳ הולד אחר וכ׳ it occurred that a twin child was born three months after its brother; a. fr. —2) to gaze, be undecided, deliberate Num. R. s. 5⁷ מה אתה עומד ומִשְׁתָּהֶה (some ed. ומִשְׁתָּהֶא) why dost thou stand and deliberate?; a. e.