Library / English Dictionary

DOUBT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Uncertainty about the truth or factuality or existence of something

Example:

there is no question about the validity of the enterprise

Synonyms:

doubt; doubtfulness; dubiousness; question

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("doubt" is a kind of...):

precariousness; uncertainness; uncertainty (being unsettled or in doubt or dependent on chance)

Derivation:

doubt (lack confidence in or have doubts about)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The state of being unsure of something

Synonyms:

doubt; doubtfulness; dubiety; dubiousness; incertitude; uncertainty

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("doubt" is a kind of...):

cognitive state; state of mind (the state of a person's cognitive processes)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "doubt"):

arriere pensee; mental reservation; reservation (an unstated doubt that prevents you from accepting something wholeheartedly)

distrust; misgiving; mistrust; suspicion (doubt about someone's honesty)

disbelief; incredulity; mental rejection; skepticism (doubt about the truth of something)

indecision; indecisiveness; irresolution (doubt concerning two or more possible alternatives or courses of action)

peradventure (doubt or uncertainty as to whether something is the case)

suspense (an uncertain cognitive state)

Derivation:

doubt (consider unlikely or have doubts about)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Consider unlikely or have doubts about

Example:

I doubt that she will accept his proposal of marriage

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "doubt" is one way to...):

disbelieve; discredit (reject as false; refuse to accept)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence examples:

They doubt that there was a traffic accident

They doubt whether there was a traffic accident

Derivation:

doubt (the state of being unsure of something)

doubter (someone who is doubtful or noncommittal about something)

doubter (someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lack confidence in or have doubts about

Example:

she distrusts her stepmother

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "doubt" is one way to...):

distrust; mistrust; suspect (regard as untrustworthy; regard with suspicion; have no faith or confidence in)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

doubt (uncertainty about the truth or factuality or existence of something)

Credits

 Context examples: 

With regard to our transaction, you will no doubt have observed by now that one essential detail is missing.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Upon the reading of this letter, I made sure my colleague was insane; but till that was proved beyond the possibility of doubt, I felt bound to do as he requested.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I doubt not that he will be back for them anon.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

They were hard and uncouth, some of them, I doubt not; and yet, seen through the golden haze of time, they all seem sweet and lovable.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

However it is not doubted, that this invention may be capable of great improvement.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

No doubt that October 27 new moon was a tough one, and if anything came up, it would take weeks to fix.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

“Well, here you are again,” said the mouse, “no doubt you have had a merry day.” “All went off well,” answered the cat.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

I don't doubt it—from the little I saw of him and the less I heard from him; but I don't think so much of banks as I did.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I cannot doubt it, yet I am lost in surprise and admiration.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Yet a man it was, I could no longer be in doubt about that.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)