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.
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.
