Adjacent Words

Doubt definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DOUBT, v.i. dout. [L., G.]
1. To waver or fluctuate in opinion; to hesitate; to be in suspense; to be in uncertainty; to be in suspense; to be in uncertainty, respecting the truth or fact; to be undetermined.
Even in matters divine, concerning some things, we may lawfully doubt and suspend our judgment.
So we say, I doubt whether it is proper; I doubt whether I shall go; sometimes with of, as we doubt of a fact.
2. To fear; to be apprehensive; to suspect.
I doubt theres deep resentment in his mind.
DOUBT, v.t. dout.
1. To question, or hold questionable; to withhold assent from; to hesitate to believe; as, I have heard the story, but I doubt the truth of it.
2. To fear; to suspect.
If they turn not back perverse; but that I doubt.
3. To distrust; to withhold confidence from; as, to doubt our ability to execute an office.
Tadmire superior sense, and doubt their own.
4. To fill with fear.
DOUBT, n. Dout.
1. A fluctuation of mind respecting truth or propriety, arising from defect of knowledge or evidence; uncertainty of mind; suspense; unsettled state of opinion; as, to have doubts respecting the theory of the tides.
Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. Genesis 37.
2. Uncertainty of condition.
Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee. Deutoronomy 28.
3. Suspicion; fear; apprehension.
I stand in doubt of you. Galatians 4.
4. Difficulty objected.
To every doubt your answer is the same.
5. Dread; horror and danger.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the state of being unsure of something [syn: doubt, uncertainty, incertitude, dubiety, doubtfulness, dubiousness] [ant: certainty]
2: uncertainty about the truth or factuality or existence of something; "the dubiousness of his claim"; "there is no question about the validity of the enterprise" [syn: doubt, dubiousness, doubtfulness, question] v
1: consider unlikely or have doubts about; "I doubt that she will accept his proposal of marriage"
2: lack confidence in or have doubts about; "I doubt these reports"; "I suspect her true motives"; "she distrusts her stepmother"

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English douten, from Anglo-French duter, douter, from Latin dubitare to be in doubt; akin to Latin dubius dubious Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. archaic a. fear b. suspect 2. to be in doubt about <he doubts everyone's word> 3. a. to lack confidence in ; distrust <find myself doubting him even when I know that he is honest — H. L. Mencken> b. to consider unlikely <I doubt if I can go> intransitive verb to be uncertain • doubtable adjective • doubter noun • doubtingly adverb II. noun Date: 13th century 1. a. uncertainty of belief or opinion that often interferes with decision-making b. a deliberate suspension of judgment 2. a state of affairs giving rise to uncertainty, hesitation, or suspense <the outcome is still in doubt> 3. a. a lack of confidence ; distrust <has doubts about his abilities> b. an inclination not to believe or accept <a claim met with doubt> Synonyms: see uncertainty

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a feeling of uncertainty; an undecided state of mind (be in no doubt about; have no doubt that). 2 (often foll. by of, about) an inclination to disbelieve (have one's doubts about). 3 an uncertain state of things. 4 a lack of full proof or clear indication (benefit of the doubt). --v. 1 tr. (often foll. by whether, if, that + clause; also foll. (after neg. or interrog.) by but, but that) feel uncertain or undecided about (I doubt that you are right; I do not doubt but that you are wrong). 2 tr. hesitate to believe or trust. 3 intr. (often foll. by of) feel uncertain or undecided; have doubts (never doubted of success). 4 tr. call in question. 5 tr. Brit. archaic or dial. rather think that; suspect or fear that (I doubt we are late). Phrases and idioms: beyond doubt certainly. doubting Thomas an incredulous or sceptical person (after John
20:24-29). in doubt uncertain; open to question. no doubt certainly; probably; admittedly. without doubt (or a doubt) certainly. Derivatives: doubtable adj. doubter n. doubtingly adv. Etymology: ME doute f. OF doute (n.), douter (v.) f. L dubitare hesitate; mod. spelling after L

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(doubts, doubting, doubted) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If you have doubt or doubts about something, you feel uncertain about it and do not know whether it is true or possible. If you say you have no doubt about it, you mean that you are certain it is true. This raises doubts about the point of advertising... I had my doubts when she started, but she's getting really good... There can be little doubt that he will offend again... = uncertainty N-VAR: oft N about/as to n, N that 2. If you doubt whether something is true or possible, you believe that it is probably not true or possible. Others doubted whether that would happen... He doubted if he would learn anything new from Marie... She doubted that the accident could have been avoided. VERB: V wh, V if, V that 3. If you doubt something, you believe that it might not be true or genuine. No one doubted his ability... VERB: V n 4. If you doubt someone or doubt their word, you think that they may not be telling the truth. No one directly involved with the case doubted him... ? trust VERB: V n 5. You say that something is beyond doubt or beyond reasonable doubt when you are certain that it is true and it cannot be contradicted or disproved. A referendum showed beyond doubt that voters wanted independence... PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR [emphasis] 6. If you are in doubt about something, you feel unsure or uncertain about it. He is in no doubt as to what is needed... When in doubt, call the doctor. PHRASE: v-link PHR, oft PHR about/as to n 7. You say I doubt it as a response to a question or statement about something that you think is untrue or unlikely. 'Somebody would have seen her.'—'I doubt it, not on Monday.' CONVENTION 8. If you say that something is in doubt or open to doubt, you consider it to be uncertain or unreliable. The outcome was still in doubt... That claim is increasingly open to doubt. = uncertain PHRASE: v-link PHR 9. You use no doubt to emphasize that something seems certain or very likely to you. The contract for this will no doubt be widely advertised... = undoubtedly PHRASE: PHR with cl [emphasis] 10. You use no doubt to indicate that you accept the truth of a particular point, but that you do not consider it is important or contradicts the rest of what you are saying. No doubt many will regard these as harsh words, but regrettably they are true. PHRASE: PHR with cl 11. If you say that something is true without doubt or without a doubt, you are emphasizing that it is definitely true. Without doubt this was the most important relationship I developed at college... = undoubtedly PHRASE: PHR with cl [emphasis] 12. the benefit of the doubt: see benefit a shadow of a doubt: see shadow

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dout: This word, found only a score of times in the Bible, translates nevertheless about half as many different Hebrew and Greek originals with a corresponding variety of meanings.

In Ge 37:33 "without doubt" is to be taken in the common sense of "certainly"; in Job 12:2 in the sarcastic sense of "indeed!" In Da 5:12,16, it is used as a difficult problem or mystery to be explained, and these are the only cases of its employment in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament it is about equally used to translate diaporeo, and diakrino, and their cognates. The first means "to be without resource," "utterly at a loss," "nonplussed"; and the second, "to judge diversely." For the first, see Joh 13:22; Ac 2:12 the King James Version; Ac 5:24 the King James Version; Ac 10:17 the King James Version; Ac 25:20 the King James Version; and Ga 4:20 the King James Version. For the second see Mt 21:21; Mr 11:23; Ac 10:20; Ro 14:23. The last-named is deserving of particular attention. "He that doubteth is condemned (the King James Version "damned") if he eat," means that in a case of uncertainty as to one's Christian liberty, it were better to err on the side of restraint. In Lu 12:29 "to be of doubtful mind" (meteorizo, literally, "to suspend"; see Thayer, under the word), means "to be driven by gusts," or "to fluctuate in mid-air."

Here, as in Mt 14:31, "doubt" does not indicate a lack of faith, but rather "a state of qualified faith": its weakness, but not its absence.

In Joh 10:24 "doubt" translates airo psuchen, which literally means "to lift up the soul" or "to keep one in suspense"; so the Revised Version (British and American). See also DISPUTATION.

James M. Gray

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. 1. Hesitate, waver, be doubtful, be in suspense, withhold judgment, be undetermined, entertain doubts, be in a state of uncertainty, not know what to think. 2. (Rare.) Suspect, fancy, apprehend. II. v. a. 1. Question, hesitate to believe, consider questionable, have doubts about. 2. Distrust, suspect, not confide in. III. n. 1. Indecision, hesitation, hesitancy, irresolution, uncertainty, suspense, misgiving. 2. Suspicion, distrust, mistrust.

Moby Thesaurus

Humism, Pyrrhonism, agnosticism, agonize over, all-overs, anxiety, apprehension, apprehensiveness, awake a doubt, be at sea, be diffident, be doubtful, be dubious, be possessive, be skeptical, be uncertain, beat about, call in question, challenge, concern, confutability, contest, contestability, controvertibility, deniability, diffidence, disbelief, disbelieve, discredit, disputability, dispute, disquiet, distrust, distrustfulness, doubtful, doubtfulness, dubiety, dubiousness, dubitancy, fear, feel unsure, flounder, fluctuate, foreboding, greet with skepticism, grope, half believe, half-belief, harbor suspicions, have reservations, hesitate, hesitation, in doubt, incertitude, incredulity, irresolution, leeriness, misdoubt, misgive, misgiving, mistrust, mistrustfulness, puzzle over, qualm, qualmishness, query, question, questionableness, raise a question, refutability, reservations, scepticism, scoff, scoffing, scruple, scrupulousness, self-doubt, shadow of doubt, skepticalness, skepticism, smell a rat, suspect, suspicion, suspiciousness, thrash about, throw doubt upon, total skepticism, treat with reserve, unbelief, uncertainty, vacillate, wariness, waver, wonder, wonder whether, worry