shadow of doubt
2
3.8
- noun
- Informal
:
sombra de duda
- Still others cast a shadow of doubt upon the ability of the state to adapt to the demands of an ever-growing globalizing world economy.
It turned out that the crown indeed had a greater volume, which meant without any shadow of doubt that something had been switched around.
- It turned out that the crown indeed had a greater volume, which meant without any shadow of doubt that something had been switched around.
Examples
-
There is not a shadow of doubt that she will succeed in her new job.
-
What happens if you know, if you know beyond any shadow of doubt that there is nothing you can do to be better?
-
And then a shadow of doubt crossed his mind.
Fiction book (1995) -
Faced with a choice between the two options, there is not a shadow of doubt in my mind that fossil fuel is the worst.
Blog text (9) -
When these letters were published by your newspaper, was there any shadow of doubt in your mind that they were written by Mr. Parnell?
-
If you'll allow me, Jack, I'd like to prove my thesis beyond a shadow of doubt.
-
The supposed love triangle gets exposed, causing harm to the reputations of both David and Paula and casting a shadow of doubt on the validity of anything either of them says against Obama.
Blog text (7) -
Despite how our society holds medicine in a positive light, the pervasive ignorance of racial discrimination casts shadows of doubt on the character of even those we entrust our lives to.
Blog text (2) -
Even after hearing the evidence, a shadow of doubt lingered in his mind about the verdict.
-
The witness's inconsistent testimony cast a shadow of doubt on the entire case.
Synonyms
∞
1.6
A feeling of not being sure about something
∞
2.7
A feeling of doubt about whether something is true
296
4.0
Not being sure about what will happen or what to do
39
2.3
A feeling that something may be true even without proof
35
8.4
A feeling of doubt or unease about whether you are doing the right thing
6
5.1
A small quiet feeling that something bad may be true
2
4.3
Short times when a person feels unsure about a choice or situation
1
9.9
A feeling of doubt about whether something is true
1
6.7
A feeling of doubt and worry about what will happen
1
7.8
A feeling of doubt or not trusting something
1
7.9
A very small feeling that something may not be true
1
4.9
A very small feeling of being unsure about something
A feeling of doubt or low confidence
A feeling of not being sure about something
A quiet feeling of not being sure about something
A feeling of not being sure or confident about something
A hidden feeling that people doubt each other in a group
A state of not knowing what will happen
The quality of being doubtful about whether something is true
A feeling of doubt or uncertainty about something
A feeling of not being sure about something
Antonyms
How Doubtful
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase uses a metaphorical sense of 'shadow' as a slight trace or hint combined with 'doubt', so its meaning ('a small suggestion of uncertainty') is partly recoverable from the constituents. However, this requires recognizing the non-literal use of 'shadow' (and interpreting the construction with or without negation), so learners may need some exposure; cross-linguistically the same metaphor often exists but the mapping is not purely compositional.
Etymology
Shadow of doubt paints a simple picture: a small shadow falls over something clear, leaving part of it in shade while the doubt stays. That's why a 'shadow of doubt' means a small feeling of 'uncertainty' or 'suspicion' that makes you less sure.