doubt
♦♦ doubt /d'aʊt/ (doubts doubting doubted)
1 [N-VAR] oft N about/as to n, N that
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
2 [VERB] V wh, V if, V that
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.
3 [VERB] V n
If you doubt something, you believe that it might not be true or genuine.
No one doubted his ability...
4 [VERB] V n
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
5 [PHRASE] PHR after v, v-link PHR
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...
6 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, oft PHR about/as to n
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.
7 [CONVENTION]
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.'
8 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
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
9 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
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
10 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
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.
11 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
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
12
the benefit of the doubt: see benefit
a shadow of a doubt: see shadow
1 [N-VAR] oft N about/as to n, N that
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
2 [VERB] V wh, V if, V that
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.
3 [VERB] V n
If you doubt something, you believe that it might not be true or genuine.
No one doubted his ability...
4 [VERB] V n
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
5 [PHRASE] PHR after v, v-link PHR
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...
6 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, oft PHR about/as to n
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.
7 [CONVENTION]
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.'
8 [PHRASE] v-link PHR
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
9 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
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
10 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
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.
11 [PHRASE] PHR with cl
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
12
the benefit of the doubt: see benefit
a shadow of a doubt: see shadow