The root of the word Hawdu is to "delay" or "pause"; a Yahūdi (يهودي) from this root is a "Delayer" (singular) and the Yahūdu (اليهود) or "Delayers" (plural). The following is the linguistic analysis of this root in Arabic:
:والتَّهْوِيدُ والتَّهْوادُ والتَّهَوُّدُ: الإِبْطاءُ في السَّيْر واللِّينُ والتَّرَفُّقُ
i.e. Al-Tahweedu, Al-Tahwaadu, and Al-Tahawwudu: is the delay in walking, leniency, or gentleness depending on the context. While it is possible to imagine the meaning to be mild/lenient/gentle/hesitant with regards to their faith i.e. luke-warm, insincere and lacking commitment/conviction, in fact the relevant sense (Delay) is illustrated in the Hadith of Imran ibn Husain in which he instructed his people: "When I die, hurry up with my body to the burial and do not delay (Tuhawwidu) like the delaying of the Yahūd (delayers) and the Netzarim (from נֹצְרִים or "nōṣərim" meaning "watchers", a Messianic ''Samaritan'' group with origins dating back to Jeremiah 4:16, and 31:6)!" In Arabic: :وفي حديث عِمْران بن حُصين أَنه أَوْصَى عند موتِه: إِذا مُتُّ فَخَرَجْتُمْ بي، فأَسْرِعُوا المَشْيَ ولا تُهَوِّدُوا كما تُهَوِّدُ اليهودُ والنصارى