doubt (redirected from doubters)

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, without

a doubting Thomas

a person who refuses to believe anything until they are given proof. He's a real doubting Thomas - he simply wouldn't believe I'd won the car until he saw it with his own eyes.

give someone 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: give

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beyond the 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 someone/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: 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

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

See also: about