When making important and daily decisions in life, every person has encountered such a feeling as doubt. The meaning of the last word is not limited to this context. There are several more options for its use, as well as a number of set expressions that will expand your vocabulary and increase your erudition.
Is it possible to draw a clear line that makes it possible to understand whether doubt is uncertainty about the truth of a concept or phenomenon, or fear of an unfavorable outcome? Are the situations of reflection and hesitation to which this word applies? Let's look at the subtleties of the meaning and use of the named word next.
Meaning
There are several basic meanings of the mentioned word:
- Thus, doubt is the uncertainty about something as true in general or applicable to a given situation, as well as reflections on the possibility of a thing or concept not matching reality. For example: I had to try a lot, determining the meaning of incomprehensible words,- I had doubts, but the dictionary helped me figure it out.
- Fear or suspicion of something. In this case, the situation is defined as unclear or confusing. For example: Doubts arose one after another and, not finding confirmation, formed into a feeling of anxiety and distrust.
- Perplexity or difficulty in resolving any issue. Doubt made it difficult to take sides.
- Hesitation, uncertainty, a state of mental discord. Example: Overwhelmed by doubts, the young man still could not decide to apply for the faculty of directing.
- The word is used as part of introductory phrases "without a doubt", "without a doubt". Example: Without a doubt, her education and several advanced degrees made a lasting impression on the public.
Morphological and syntactic properties
Doubt is an inanimate neuter noun, type 2 declension. Root: - doubt -, suffix - eni- and ending - e. According to the classification of A. A. Zaliznyak, the word belongs to the type of declension 7a.
Singular number:
| Name | doubt |
| R. | doubts |
| D. | doubt |
| V. | doubt |
| TV. | doubt |
| Ex. | doubt |
Plural:
| Name | doubts |
| R. | doubt |
| D. | doubt |
| V. | doubts |
| TV. | doubts |
| Ex. | doubts |
Synonyms and antonyms
Based on the basic meanings of the word, namely the fact that “doubt” is uncertainty and fear, you can pick up a number of synonyms. These include: distrust, bewilderment, suspicion, hesitation, reflection, indecision, suspiciousness, prudence, caution, prejudice, suspicion.
Examples:
- Hesitation in making this decision cost him a third of his annual revenue.
- The reaction of the partner to his words caused only bewilderment and a desire to clarify the situation.
And using water phrases, doubt can be expressed as follows:
- unlikely;
- hardly,
- hardly.
Besides them, exclamations are also used:
- Oh is it?
- Fables!
- Fairy tales!
Examples:
- It is unlikely that she will be able to learn Spanish and Chinese well in a year if she masters them at the same time.
- Coach says he earns two million per project. But fairy tales are all to attract public attention!
Antonyms for the word "doubt", the meaning of which was discussed in detail earlier, make up the following list: accuracy, certainty, certainty, trust, indisputably, undoubtedly. Each of them expresses the opposite meaning in different contexts.
Examples:
- Trust in the elders and faith in their actions allowed him to boldly go in the direction of his goals.
- Undoubtedly, stable and effective team relationships are important for making key decisions.
Phraseological units and set phrases
Part of set expressions and phrases with the word "doubt" is literary, bookish and is rarely used in everyday colloquial speech. At the same time, the word is quite popular, because it describes a frequent emotional state. Known expressions include the following:
- question;
- no doubt;
- induce doubt;
- dispel/resolve doubts;
- to question/be questioned;
- be in doubt.
Expansion of vocabulary is necessary not only to increase the figurativeness and richness of speech, but also to read ordinary and professional literature, study foreign languages, increase erudition and the ability to clearly and eloquently express one's thoughts both in writing and orally. The meaning of the word "doubt" and the ability to use it in several contexts will make it possible to climb one more step in all of the above directions.
