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Surmise vs Doubt - What's the difference?

surmise | doubt | Related terms |

Surmise is a related term of doubt.


As verbs the difference between surmise and doubt

is that surmise is while doubt is (ambitransitive) to lack confidence in; to disbelieve, question, or suspect.

As a noun doubt is

uncertainty, disbelief.

surmise

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Thought, imagination, or conjecture, which may be based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess.
  • surmises of jealousy or of envy
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • No man ought to be charged with principles he actually disowns, unless his practices contradict his profession; not upon small surmises .
  • * 1919 ,
  • The meeting had been devoid of incident. No word had been said to give me anything to think about, and any surmises I might make were unwarranted. I was intrigued.
  • Reflection; thought; posit.
  • (Shakespeare)

    Verb

    (surmis)
  • To conjecture, to opine or to posit with contestable premises.
  • doubt

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (obsolete)

    Noun

    (wikipedia doubt)
  • Uncertainty, disbelief.
  • *
  • It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street.. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To lack confidence in; to disbelieve, question, or suspect.
  • He doubted that was really what you meant.
  • * Hooker
  • Even in matters divine, concerning some things, we may lawfully doubt
  • * Dryden
  • To try your love and make you doubt of mine.
  • (archaic) To fear; to suspect.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , I.186:
  • He fled, like Joseph, leaving it; but there, / I doubt , all likeness ends between the pair.
  • (obsolete) To fear; to be apprehensive of.
  • * R. of Gloucester
  • Edmond [was a] good man and doubted God.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I doubt some foul play.
  • * Spenser
  • I of doubted danger had no fear.
  • (obsolete) To fill with fear; to affright.
  • *
  • * Beaumont and Fletcher
  • The virtues of the valiant Caratach / More doubt me than all Britain.