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doubt

[dout]

Use doubt in a Sentence

–verb (used with object)

1.	to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe.

2.	to distrust.

3.	Archaic. to fear; be apprehensive about.

–verb (used without object)

4.	to be uncertain about something; be undecided in opinion or belief.

–noun

5.	a feeling of uncertainty about the truth, reality, or nature of something.

distrust.

7.	a state of affairs such as to occasion uncertainty.

8.	Obsolete. fear; dread.

—Idioms

9.	beyond the shadow of a doubt, with certainty; definitely. Also, beyond a doubt, beyond doubt.

10.	in doubt, in a state of uncertainty or suspense: His appointment to the position is still in doubt.

11.

no doubt,

probably.

b.	certainly: There is no doubt an element of truth in what you say.

12.	without doubt, unquestionably; certainly.

Origin:
1175–1225; (v.) ME douten < AF, OF douter < L dubitāre to waver, hesitate, be uncertain (freq. of OL dubāre), equiv. to dub- doubt + -it- freq. suffix + -āre inf. suffix; (n.) ME doute < AF, OF, deriv. of the v.

Related forms:

doubt⋅a⋅ble, adjective

doubt⋅a⋅bly, adverb

doubter, noun

doubt⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

doubt⋅ing⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1, 2. mistrust, suspect, question. 5. indecision, irresolution.

Usage note:
Doubt and doubtful may be followed by a subordinate clause beginning with that, whether, or if: I doubt that (or whether or if) the story is true. It is doubtful that (or whether or if) the story is true. There is some doubt that (or whether or if) the story is true. In negative or interrogative sentences, that almost always introduces the subordinate clause: I do not doubt that the story is true. Is it doubtful that the story is true? Is there any doubt that the story is true?
The expressions doubt but and doubt but that occur in all varieties of standard speech and writing: I don't doubt but she is sincere. There is no doubt but that the charges will affect his career. Doubt but what occurs mainly in informal speech and writing: There is no doubt but what the rainy weather will hurt the crops.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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doubt (dout)

v. doubt·ed, doubt·ing, doubts

v. tr.

To be undecided or skeptical about: began to doubt some accepted doctrines.
To tend to disbelieve; distrust: doubts politicians when they make sweeping statements.
To regard as unlikely: I doubt that we'll arrive on time.
Archaic To suspect; fear.

v. intr.
To be undecided or skeptical.
n.

A lack of certainty that often leads to irresolution. See Synonyms at uncertainty.
A lack of trust.
A point about which one is uncertain or skeptical: reassured me by answering my doubts.
The condition of being unsettled or unresolved: an outcome still in doubt.

[Middle English douten, from Old French douter, from Latin dubitāre, to waver; see dwo- in Indo-European roots.]
doubt'er n.

Usage Note: Doubt and doubtful may be followed by clauses introduced by that, whether, or if. The choice among these three is partly guided by the intended meaning of the sentence but is not cast in stone. Whether normally introduces an indirect question and is therefore the traditional choice when the subject is in a state of genuine uncertainty about alternative possibilities: Sue has studied so much philosophy this year that she has begun to doubt whether she exists. Similarly, when doubtful indicates uncertainty, whether is probably the correct choice: At one time it was doubtful whether the company could recover from its financial difficulties, but the bank loan has helped. On the other hand, that is the choice when one uses doubt as an understated way of expressing disbelief: I doubt that we have seen the last of that problem, meaning "I think we haven't seen the last of that problem." That is also the usual choice when the truth of the clause following doubt is assumed, as in negative sentences and questions. Thus I never doubted for a minute that I would be rescued implies "I was certain that I would be rescued." By the same token, Do you doubt that you will be paid? seems to pose a rhetorical question ("Surely you believe that you will be paid"), whereas Do you doubt whether you will be paid? may express a genuine request for information and might be followed by because if you do, you should make the client post a bond. In other cases, however, this distinction between whether and that is not always observed. If may also be used as a substitute for whether but is more informal in tone. · In informal speech the clause following doubt is sometimes introduced with but: I don't doubt but (or but what) he will come. Although modern critics sometimes object to its use in formal writing, reputable precedent exists for this construction, as Richard Steele's remark "I do not doubt but England is at present as polite a Nation as any in the World." See Usage Notes at but, if.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Doubt

Doubt\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dou?ted; p. pr. & vb. n. Doubting.] [OE. duten, douten, OF. duter, doter, douter, F. douter, fr. L. dubitare; akin to dubius doubtful. See Dubious.]

1. To waver in opinion or judgment; to be in uncertainty as to belief respecting anything; to hesitate in belief; to be undecided as to the truth of the negative or the affirmative proposition; to b e undetermined.

Even in matters divine, concerning some things, we may lawfully doubt, and suspend our judgment. --Hooker.

To try your love and make you doubt of mine. --Dryden.

2. To suspect; to fear; to be apprehensive. [Obs.]

Syn: To waver; vacillate; fluctuate; hesitate; demur; scruple; question.

Doubt

Doubt\, v. t. 1. To question or hold questionable; to withhold assent to; to hesitate to believe, or to be inclined not to believe; to withhold confidence from; to distrust; as, I have heard the story, but I doubt the truth of it.

To admire superior sense, and doubt their own! --Pope.

I doubt not that however changed, you keep So much of what is graceful. --Tennyson.

To doubt not but.

I do not doubt but I have been to blame. --Dryden.

We doubt not now But every rub is smoothed on our way. --Shak.

Note: That is, we have no doubt to prevent us from believing, etc. (or notwithstanding all that may be said to the contrary) -- but having a preventive sense, after verbs of "doubting" and "denying" that convey a notion of hindrance. --E. A. Abbott.

2. To suspect; to fear; to be apprehensive of. [Obs.]

Edmond [was a] good man and doubted God. --R. of Gloucester.

I doubt some foul play. --Shak.

That I of doubted danger had no fear. --Spenser.

3. To fill with fear; to affright. [Obs.]

The virtues of the valiant Caratach More doubt me than all Britain. --Beau. & Fl.

Doubt

Doubt\, n. [OE. dute, doute, F. doute, fr. douter to doubt. See Doubt, v. i.]

1. A fluctuation of mind arising from defect of knowledge or evidence; uncertainty of judgment or mind; unsettled state of opinion concerning the reality of an event, or the truth of an assertion, etc.; hesitation.

Doubt is the beginning and the end of our efforts to know. --Sir W. Hamilton.

Doubt, in order to be operative in requiring an acquittal, is not the want of perfect certainty (which can never exist in any question of fact) but a defect of proof preventing a reasonable assurance of quilt. --Wharton.

2. Uncertainty of condition.

Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee. --Deut. xxviii. 66.

3. Suspicion; fear; apprehension; dread. [Obs.]

I stand in doubt of you. --Gal. iv. 20.

Nor slack her threatful hand for danger's doubt. --Spenser.

4. Difficulty expressed or urged for solution; point unsettled; objection.

To every doubt your answer is the same. --Blackmore.

No doubt, undoubtedly; without doubt.

Out of doubt, beyond doubt. [Obs.] --Spenser.

Syn: Uncertainty; hesitation; suspense; indecision; irresolution; distrust; suspicion; scruple; perplexity; ambiguity; skepticism.

Language Translation for : doubt

Spanish: dudar,

German: bezweifeln,

Japanese: 疑う

More Translations »

doubt

c.1225, from O.Fr. douter, from L. dubitare "hesitate, waver in opinion" (related to dubius "uncertain"), originally "to have to choose between two things." The sense of "fear" developed in O.Fr. and was passed on to Eng. The -b- was restored 14c. by scribes in imitation of L. Replaced O.E. tweogan (noun twynung), from tweon "two," on notion of "of two minds" or the choice of two implied in L. dubitare (cf. Ger. Zweifel "doubt," from zwei "two").

doubt

see beyond a doubt; cast doubt on; give the benefit of the doubt; no doubt; shadow of a doubt.

doubt

in Cartesian philosophy, a way of searching for certainty by systematically though tentatively doubting everything. First, all statements are classified according to type and source of knowledge-e.g., knowledge from tradition, empirical knowledge, and mathematical knowledge. Then, examples from each class are examined. If a way can be found to doubt the truth of any statement, then all other statements of that type are also set aside as dubitable. The doubt is methodic because it assures systematic completeness, but also because no claim is made that all-or even that any-statements in a dubitable class are really false or that one must or can distrust them in an ordinary sense. The method is to set aside as conceivably false all statements and types of knowledge that are not indubitably true. The hope is that, by eliminating all statements and types of knowledge the truth of which can be doubted in any way, one will find some indubitable certainties.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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