doubt

present singular third person doubts · participle present doubting · participle past doubted · past doubted

1. ambitransitiveTo consider questionable or unlikely; to hesitate to believe; to lack confidence in; to question.

   He doubted that was really what you meant.

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   I had no wish to go, though I doubt if they would have noticed me even if I had.

   There be but two wayes onely⸝ the one whiche by obedyence of the affections ledeth to ꝑdicion [perdition]: the other whiche thrugh the mortifyenge of the fleſſhe ledeth to lyfe. Why doubteſt thou in thy ſelf⸝ there is no thyrde waye, […]

   1533 November 25 (Gregorian calendar), Erasmus of Roterdame, “The Seconde Rule”, in [William Tyndale], transl., A Booke Called in Latyn Enchiridion Militis Christiani⸝ and in Englysshe The Manuell of the Christen Knyght⸝ […], London: […] Wynkyn de Worde⸝ for Johan Byddell⸝ otherwyse Salisbury⸝ […], →OCLC, signature [F.vij.], recto

   For they be not termed Eclogues, but Æglogues, vvhich ſentence this authour very vvell obſeruing, vpon good iudgement, though indeede fevv Goteheards haue to doe herein, netheleſſe doubteth not to cal thẽ by the vſed and beſt knovven name.

   1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “The Generall Argument of the Whole Booke”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC

   And as for that faith, vvhich is vvithout vvorkes, and yet ſeemeth to thes men to be ſufficient for their ſaluation; he proteſteth, that it is ſo vnprofitable, as he doubteth not to ſaye of hymſelf; [...]

   1585 September 8, “How a Man may Ivdge or Discerne of Him Self, vvhether He be a True Christian or Not. […]”, in A Christian Directorie Gviding Men to Their Salvation. Devided into Three Bookes. […], [Rouen]: [s.n.], →OCLC, pages 316–317

   For never (I thinke) was there any woman, that with more unremovable determinatiõ gave her selfe to the coũcell of Love, after she had once set before her mind the worthines of your cousin Amphialus; & yet is nether her wisdome doubted of, nor honour blemished.

   The New Arcadia

   c. 1580 (date written), Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC

   Synonyms: distrust, mistrust

2. transitivearchaic outside ScotlandTo harbour suspicion about; suspect.

   I walk by the Rule of my Maſter, you walk by the rude working of your fancies. You are counted thieves already, by the Lord of the way; therefore, I doubt you will not be found true men at the end of the way.

   1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 40

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   Rushing to the door of the church, [Robert the] Bruce met two powerful barons, [Roger de] Kirkpatrick of Closeburn, and James de Lindsay, who eagerly asked him what tidings? "Bad tidings," answered Bruce, "I doubt I have slain [John] Comyn." "Doubtest thou?" said Kirkpatrick, "I make sicker" (i.e. sure.) With these words, he and Lindsay rushed into the church, and dispatched the wounded Comyn.

   1815, Walter Scott, “Notes to Canto Second”, in The Lord of the Isles, a Poem, Edinburgh: […] [F]or Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown; by James Ballantyne and Co., […], →OCLC, note VIII, page xlviii

3. archaictransitiveTo anticipate with dread or fear; to apprehend.

   Fear naught—nay, that I need not say— / But—doubt not aught from mine array. / Thou art my guest;—I pledged my word / As far as Coilantogle ford: [...]

   1810, Walter Scott, “Canto V. The Combat.”, in The Lady of the Lake; […], Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for John Ballantyne and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, and William Miller, →OCLC, stanza XI, page 196

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   The rest of his horsemen the Duke sent to his campe, bicause they heard a great noise there, and doubted the enimies sally, and indeede they had issued foorth thrise, but were alwaies repulsed, especially through the valiantns of the English men that the Duke left there behind him [...]

   1596, Philippe de Commynes, The historie of Philip de Commines Knight, Lord of Argenton, London: Ar. Hatfield, pages 50-51

4. obsoletetransitiveTo fill with fear; to affright.

   I'll tell ye all my fears, one ſingle valour, / the vertues of the valiant Caratach / more doubts me then all Britain: [...]

   c. 1613 (first performance), John Fletcher, “The Tragedie of Bonduca”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 51, column 1

5. ambitransitiveobsoleteTo dread, to fear.

   Well, all's not well. I doubt some foule play, [...]

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and Iohn Trundell, published 1603, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

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   Edmond aþelstones broþer · after him was king · / Godmon & doutede · god þoru alle þing ·

   Edmund, Æthelstan's brother · / after him was king · / [He was a] good man and feared · God through all things ·

   [1297, Robert of Gloucester, “Edmond”, in William Aldis Wright, editor, The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester. […] (Rerum Britannicarum Medii Aevi Scriptores; no. 86), part I (in Middle English), London: Printed for Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, by Eyre and Spottiswoode, […], published 1887, →OCLC, page 408

   Whilome in youth, when flowred my ioyfull ſpring, / Like ſwallow ſwift I wandred here and there: / For heat of heedleſſe luſt me ſo did ſting, / That I of doubted daunger had no feare.

   1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “December. Ægloga Duodecima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger, […], →OCLC, folio 49, recto

   [H]ow many good Christians are there, who consider themselves the beloved of Christ & the invariable followers of his gospel, who with all his precepts in their mind go to Africa, wrest the mother from the infant—the father from the wife—chain them to the whip & lash, they & their posterity for ever, nay hold this scourge in their own hand & inflict it with all the gout of their abominable appetites, & who do not doubt that they are violating the whole doctrine of the author of their religion—To what absurdities may not the human mind bring itself when this can be thought by them less offensive to God, than eating meat on a friday?—

   1798 February 27, William Short, “From William Short, 27 February [letter to Thomas Jefferson]”, in Barbara B. Oberg, editor, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, volume 30 (1 January 1798 to 31 January 1799), Princeton, N.J.; Woodstock, Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press, published 2003, →ISBN, page 152

   At last, as they more faintly wrestling lay, / Juan contrived to give an awkward blow, / And then his only garment quite gave way; / He fled, like Joseph, leaving it; but there, / I doubt, all likeness ends between the pair.

   1819 July 15, [Lord Byron], Don Juan, London: […] Thomas Davison, […], →OCLC, canto I, stanza CLXXXVI, page 96

   I shall never know whether they got at the truth o' the robbery, nor whether Mr Paston could ha' given me any light about the drawing o' the lots. It's dark to me, Mrs Winthrop, that is; I doubt it'll be dark to the last.

   1861, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter XXI, in Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, part II, page 357

plural doubts · alternative dout

1. countableuncountableDisbelief or uncertainty (about something); (countable) a particular instance of such disbelief or uncertainty.

   There was some doubt as to who the child's real father was.

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   I have doubts about how to convert this code to JavaScript.

   Thus they went on talking of what they had ſeen by the way; and ſo made that way eaſie, which would otherwiſe, no doubt, have been tedious to them; for now they went through a Wilderneſs.

   1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC; reprinted in The Pilgrim’s Progress as Originally Published by John Bunyan: Being a Fac-simile Reproduction of the First Edition, London: Elliot Stock […], 1875, →OCLC, page 149

   She was very pretty: exceedingly pretty. With a dimpled, surprised-looking, capital face; a ripe little mouth, that seemed made to be kissed—as no doubt it was; all kinds of good little dots about her chin, that melted into one another when she laughed; and the sunniest pair of eyes you ever saw in any little creature's head.

   1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave Three. The Second of the Three Spirits.”, in A Christmas Carol. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, pages 106–107

   He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts.

   1906, Stanley J[ohn] Weyman, “The Dissolution”, in Chippinge Borough, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., →OCLC, page 3

   After all, the search for such assurances will itself require us to marshall our cognitive resources. It will itself involve the use of methods about which we can sensibly have doubts, doubts that cannot be addressed without begging the question.

   1990, Richard Foley, “Skepticism and Rationality”, in Michael D. Roth, Glenn Ross, editors, Doubting: Contemporary Perspectives on Skepticism (Philosophical Studies Series; 48), Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, →DOI, →ISBN, part 1 (Concessions), page 73

   Synonyms: incertitude · Antonyms: belief, confidence, faith

2. countableobsolete outside of IndiaA point of uncertainty, especially a yes/no or a multiple-choice question

   Ma'am, I have a doubt about today's lecture

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   It is entirely normal to hear a statement like "I have just one doubt, miss" or "If you have any doubts before the exam tomorrow, come see me in the staff room". The doubts in the aforementioned sentences are not as much rooted in a lack of faith as in a lack of understanding.

   2006 July 12, Vishy, “Vishy's Indian English Dictionary: doubt”, in Vishy's Indian English Dictionary, archived from the original on 09 Mar 2008

   Synonyms: disbelief · Antonyms: belief, tenet

3. countablenon-native speakers' Englisha question (that one has)