Douten

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To be uncertain about something or to lack confidence in it ; to feel fear or dread toward a person or thing
2. Archaic sense meaning to hold something in doubt or to mistrust it ; an older way of saying to be frightened of someone or something
3. To question the truth of a matter or feel unsure about it ; to be afraid of a danger or to stand in dread of something

Etymology: In Latin, "dubitare" meant to waver or hesitate, to be pulled toward one option and then another. It was built from "dubius," uncertain, which is related to "duo," two. So to doubt was originally to feel oneself torn between two ways. The verb reached English through Old French "douter," itself from that Latin verb, and English speakers used it for both hesitating over a decision and not believing a claim. The modern spelling with a silent "b" is a later addition. Medieval English writers spelled the word "douten," and the "b" was inserted to make the English spelling look more like its Latin source, even though nobody pronounced it. The "b" had no effect on how the word sounded.

Synonyms: doubt, fear, suspect

Antonyms: trust, believe