doubt

(There is) no doubt about it.

It cannot be doubted.; It is obvious. Jane: It's really cold today. Fred: No doubt about it! Sue: Things seems to be getting more and more expensive. Tom: There's no doubt about that. Look at the price of oranges!

benefit of the doubt

a judgment in one's favor when the evidence is neither for one nor against one. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) I was right between a B and an A. I got the benefit of the doubt—an A. I thought I should have had the benefit of the doubt, but the judge made me pay a fine.

See also: benefit

beyond a reasonable doubt

almost without any doubt. (A legal phrase.) The jury decided beyond a reasonable doubt that she had committed the crime. He was also found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

See also: beyond

cast doubt(s) (on someone or something)

to cause someone or something to be doubted. The police cast doubt on my story. How can they cast doubt? They haven't looked into it yet. The city council cast doubt on John and his plan.

See also: cast

doubting Thomas

someone who will not easily believe something without strong proof or evidence. (Can be said of a man or a woman. From the biblical account of the apostle Thomas, who would not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he actually touched the risen Christ.) Mary won't believe that I have a dog until she sees it. She's such a doubting Thomas.

See also: Thomas

have doubts about someone or something

to have questions or suspicions about someone or something. I have doubts about Alice and whether she can do it. We have no doubts about the usefulness of this project.

See also: have

I doubt it.

I do not think so. Tom: Think it will rain today? Sue: I doubt it. Sally: Think you'll go to New York? Mary: I doubt it.

I doubt that.

I do not believe that something is so. Bob: I'll be there exactly on time. Sue: I doubt that. John: Fred says he can't come to work because he's sick. Jane: I doubt that.

no doubt

a transitional or interpretative phrase strengthening the rest of a previous sentence. Sue: Mary is giving this party for herself? Rachel: Yes. She'll expect us to bring gifts, no doubt. Mary: All this talk about war has my cousin very worried. Sue: No doubt. At his age, I don't wonder.

without a doubt

a phrase expressing certainty or agreement; yes. John: This cheese is as hard as a rock. It must have been in the fridge for weeks. Fred: Without a doubt. Mary: Taxes will surely go up before I retire. Jane: Without a doubt!

See also: without

without a shadow of a doubt and beyond the shadow of a doubt

without the smallest amount of doubt. I am certain that I am right, without a shadow of a doubt. I felt the man was guilty beyond the shadow of a doubt.

See also: shadow, without

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a doubting Thomas

a person who refuses to believe anything until they are given proof

Usage notes: In the Bible, Thomas would not believe that Jesus had come back from the dead until he saw him.

He's a real doubting Thomas - he simply wouldn't believe I'd won the car until he saw it with his own eyes.

See also: Thomas

beyond/without a shadow of a doubt

if something is true beyond a shadow of a doubt, there is no doubt that it is true This is without a shadow of a doubt the best film I have seen all year.

See also: beyond, shadow

give somebody the benefit of the doubt

to believe something good about someone, rather than something bad, when you have the possibility of doing either After hearing his explanation, I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.

See also: benefit, give

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beyond the shadow of a doubt also without a shadow of a doubt

so that it is obviously true Letters in her father's own handwriting would prove his guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt.

See also: beyond, shadow

cast doubt on something

to cause uncertainty about something New DNA evidence has cast doubt on the guilty verdict.

See also: cast

give somebody/something the benefit of the doubt

to decide you will believe someone or something People tell me I shouldn't trust him, but I'm willing to give Simon the benefit of the doubt and wait and see what he actually offers. The American people are usually willing to give the government the benefit of the doubt.

See also: benefit, give

no doubt

1. certainly No doubt you have already heard about the terrible storm we just had, but did you know it blew down the steeple of the old church?

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form without (a) doubt, with the same meaning: Without doubt, he is the funniest man I know.

2. probably The schools should no doubt spend twice as much on teachers as they do now.

no doubt about it (spoken)

it is certainly true The Wizard 5100 is an amazing machine, no doubt about it.

Usage notes: usually used at the beginning or the end of a sentence, for emphasis