2 VERB If you doubt whether something is true or possible, you believe that it is probably not true or possible. □ [V if] Others doubted whether that would happen. □ [V if] He doubted if he would learn anything new from Marie. □ [V that] She doubted that the accident could have been avoided.
3 VERB If you doubt something, you believe that it might not be true or genuine. □ [V n] No one doubted his ability.
4 VERB If you doubt someone or doubt their word, you think that they may not be telling the truth. □ [V n] No one directly involved with the case doubted him.
5 PHRASE 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. [EMPHASIS ] □ A referendum showed beyond doubt that voters wanted independence.
6 PHRASE If you are in doubt about something, you feel unsure or uncertain about it. □ [+ about/as to ] 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 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.
9 PHRASE You use no doubt to emphasize that something seems certain or very likely to you. [EMPHASIS ] □ The contract for this will no doubt be widely advertised.
10 PHRASE 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 If you say that something is true without doubt or without a doubt , you are emphasizing that it is definitely true. [EMPHASIS ] □ Without doubt this was the most important relationship I developed at college.
12 the benefit of the doubt → see benefit
13 a shadow of a doubt → see shadow COLLOCATIONS doubt NOUN 1
adjective + doubt : grave, serious; little, slightest; lingering, nagging
verb + doubt : cast; express, raise
doubt|er /daʊ tə r / (doubters ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] If you refer to people as doubters , you mean that they have doubts about something, especially their religious or political system. □ Some doubters fear this news may not be as good as it appears.
doubt|ful /daʊ tfʊl/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If it is doubtful that something will happen, it seems unlikely to happen or you are uncertain whether it will happen. □ For a time it seemed doubtful that he would move at all. □ It is doubtful whether Tweed, even with his fluent French, passed for one of the locals.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are doubtful about something, you feel unsure or uncertain about it. □ [+ about ] I was still very doubtful about the chances for success. □ Why did he sound so doubtful? ● doubt|ful|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ Keeton shook his head doubtfully.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you say that something is of doubtful quality or value, you mean that it is of low quality or value. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …selling something that is overpriced or of doubtful quality.
4 ADJ If a sports player is doubtful for a match or event, he or she seems unlikely to play, usually because of injury. [JOURNALISM ]
doubt|ing Thomas /daʊ t I ŋ tɒ məs/ (doubting Thomases ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a doubting Thomas , you mean they refuse to believe something until they see definite proof or evidence of it.
doubt|less /daʊ tləs/ ADV If you say that something is doubtless the case, you mean that you think it is probably or almost certainly the case. □ He will doubtless try and persuade his colleagues to change their minds.
douche /duː ʃ/ (douches , douching , douched )
1 N‑COUNT A douche is a method of washing the vagina using a stream of water. You also refer to the object which you use to wash the vagina in this way as a douche .
2 VERB To douche means to wash the vagina using a stream of water. □ [V ] Never douche if you are pregnant.
dough /doʊ / (doughs ) In meaning 2 , dough is used in informal American English, and is considered old-fashioned in informal British English. 1 N‑VAR Dough is a fairly firm mixture of flour, water, and sometimes also fat and sugar. It can be cooked to make bread, pastry, and biscuits. □ Roll out the dough into one large circle.
2 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to money as dough . □ He worked hard for his dough.
dough|nut /doʊ nʌt/ (doughnuts ) in AM, also use donut N‑COUNT A doughnut is a bread-like cake made from sweet dough that has been cooked in hot fat.
dough|ty /daʊ ti/ (doughtier , doughtiest ) ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe someone as a doughty fighter, you mean they are brave, determined, and not easily defeated. [OLD-FASHIONED , APPROVAL ]