Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DOUB'LE-MAN-NED, a.

Furnished with twice the complement of men, or with two men instead of one.

DOUB'LE-MEAN-ING, a.

Having two meanings.

DOUB'LE-MIND-ED, a.

Having different minds at different times; unsettled; wavering; unstable; undetermined.

DOUB'LE-MOUTH-ED, a.

Having two mouths. – Milton.

DOUB'LE-NA-TUR-ED, a.

Having a twofold nature. – Young.

DOUB'LE-NESS, n.

1. The state of being doubled. – Shak.
2. Duplicity.

DOUB'LE-OCTAVE, n.

In music, an interval composed of two octaves or fifteen notes in diatonic progression; a fifteenth. – Encyc.

DOUB'LE-PLEA, n.

In law, a plea in which the defendant alledges two different matters in bar of the action. – Cowel.

DOUB'LE-QUAR-REL, n.

A complaint of the clerk to the archbishop against an inferior ordinary, for delay of justice. – Cowel.

DOUB'LER, n.

1. He that doubles.
2. An instrument for augmenting a very small quantity of electricity, so as to render it manifest by sparks or the electrometer. – Cyc.

DOUB'LE-SHADE, v.t.

To double the natural darkness of a place. – Milton.

DOUB'LE-SHAD-ED, pp.

Made doubly dark.

DOUB'LE-SHAD-ING, ppr.

Doubling the natural darkness of a place.

DOUB'LE-SHIN-ING, a.

Shining with double luster. – Sidney.

DOUB'LET, n. [Ir. duiblead; Fr. doublet.]

1. The inner garment of a man; a waistcoat or vest.
2. Two; a pair. – Grew.
3. Among lapidaries, a counterfeit stone composed of two pieces of crystal, with a color between them, so that they have the same appearance as if the whole substance of the crystal were colored. – Encyc.

DOUB'LE-THREADED, a.

Consisting of two threads twisted together.

DOUB'LE-TONGUED, a.

Making contrary declarations on the same subject at different times; deceitful. The deacons must be grave, not double tongued. – 1 Tim. iii.

DOUB'LETS, n.

1. A game on dice within tables.
2. The same number on both dice. – Encyc.
3. A double meaning. – Mason.

DOUB'LING, n.

The act of making double; also, a fold; a plait; also, an artifice; a shift.

DOUB'LING, ppr.

Making twice the sum, number, or quantity; repeating; passing round; turning to escape.

DOUB-LOON', n. [Fr. doublon; Sp. doblon; It. dobblone.]

A Spanish and Portuguese coin, being double the value of the pistole. – Encyc.

DOUB'LY, adv.

In twice the quantity; to twice the degree; as, doubly wise or good; to be doubly sensible of an obligation. – Dryden.

DOUBT, n. [dout.]

1. A fluctuation of mind respecting truth or propriety, arising from defect of knowledge or evidence; uncertainty of mind; suspense; unsettled state of opinion; as, to have doubts respecting the theory of the tides. Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. – Gen. xxxvii.
2. Uncertainty of condition. Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee. – Deut. xxviii.
3. Suspicion; fear; apprehension. I stand in doubt of you. – Gal. iv.
4. Difficulty objected. To every doubt your answer is the same. – Blackmore.
5. Dread; horror and danger. [Obs.]

DOUBT, v.i. [dout; Fr. douter; L. dubito; It. dubitare; Sp. dudar; Arm. doueti. According to Ainsworth, this is composed of duo and bito, to go. It is evidently from the root of dubius, and of two; but the manner of formation is not clear. So D. twyffelen, to doubt, G. zweifeln, Sw. tvifla, D. tvivler, are from two.]

1. To waver or fluctuate in opinion; to hesitate; to be in suspense; to be in uncertainty, respecting the truth or fact; to be undetermined. Even in matters divine, concerning some things, we may lawfully doubt and suspend our judgment. – Hooker. So we say, I doubt whether it is proper; I doubt whether I shall go; sometimes with of, as we doubt of a fact.
2. To fear; to be apprehensive; to suspect. I doubt there's deep resentment in his mind. – Otway.

DOUBT, v.t. [dout.]

1. To question or hold questionable; to withhold assent from; to hesitate to believe; as, I have heard the story, but I doubt the truth of it.
2. To fear; to suspect. If they turn not back perverse; / But that I doubt. – Milton.
3. To distrust; to withhold confidence from; as, to doubt our ability to execute an office. T'admire superior sense, and doubt their own. – Pope.
4. To fill with fear. [Obs.] – Beaum.