Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of 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\, 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\, 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.