doubt

I

n.

1) to raise (a) doubt (her proposal raised serious doubts in my mind)

2) to cast doubt on

3) to feel doubt; to entertain, harbor doubts about

4) to express, voice (a) doubt

5) to dispel, resolve a doubt

6) a deep, serious, strong; gnawing; lingering; reasonable; slight doubt

7) doubts appear, arise

8) a doubt about, of

9) a doubt that + clause (he expressed serious doubt that he could finish the job on time)

10) beyond (a shadow of) a doubt; without a doubt

11) in doubt (the result was never in serious doubt)

12) (misc.) to give smb. the benefit of the doubt; (colloq.) there is no doubt about it: she's the best

USAGE NOTE: Some purists recommend that whether or the more informal if be used with the noun doubt, especially in the meaning 'uncertainty'

--she expressed doubt (about/as to) whether they would finish on time ('she was not certain whether they would finish on time').

In the meaning of 'disbelief', the conjunction that is common

--she expressed doubt that they would finish on time ('she did not believe that they would finish on time').

Note that in interrogative sentences the use of that prevails

--is there any doubt that they will finish on time?

In negative sentences the conjunction that must be used

-- there is no doubt that they will finish on time.

II

v.

1) to doubt strongly, very much

2) (L) I doubt that (if, whether) she will want to participate

USAGE NOTE: see the Usage Note for doubtI. Thus, to express 'uncertainty', one can say-

she doubted whether they would finish on time.

To express 'disbelief, one can say-

she doubted that they would finish on time.

In negative sentences, only that is used-

she doesn't doubt that they will finish on time.

* * *

[daʊt]

arise

gnawing

harbor doubts about

lingering

of

one can say-she doubted that they would finish on time. In negative sentences

one can say-she doubted whether they would finish on time. To express 'disbelief

only that is used-she doesn't doubt that they will finish on time.

reasonable

resolve a doubt

serious

slight doubt

strong

to entertain

to express 'uncertainty'

very much

voice (a) doubt

without a doubt

(misc.) to give smb. the benefit of the doubt

Thus

a deep

a doubt about

beyond (a shadow of) a doubt

to cast doubt on

to dispel

to express

to feel doubt

to doubt strongly

doubts appear

(L) I doubt that (if, whether) she will want to participate (USAGE NOTE: See the Usage Note for doubt)

a doubt that + clause (he expressed serious doubt that he could finish the job on time)

to raise (a) doubt (her proposal raised serious doubts in my mind)

in doubt (the result was never in serious doubt)