doubtful, doubt full ( b silent)

[English IMG:content-0425.png:[graphic] doubt; -ful ( 1 ).] I. Of persons : 1. Fearful, timid, apprehensive, afraid. "The doubt full Damzell dare not yet commit Her single person to their barbarous truth." Spenser: F. Q., I. vi. 12. 2. Full of doubts; undetermined, wavering or unsettled in mind. "Methinks I should know you, and know this man; Yet I am doubtful."- Shakesp.: King Lear, iv. 7. 3. Open or liable to doubt; in respect to whom a certain opinion cannot be formed: as, The others will come, but he is doubtful . II. Of things: "Great Jove from Ide with slaughter fills his sight, And level hangs the doubtful scale of fight." Pope : Homer's Iliad , xi. 435, 436. doubtfully 3. Ambiguous, not clear in its meaning; equivocal, dubious; as, a doubtful meaning or expre ion. "By pronouncing of some doubtful phrase." Shakesp.: Hamlet , i. 5. 4. Not secure or confident; suspicious. "Our manner is always to cast a doubtful and a more suspicious eye toward that over which we know we have least power." -Hooker (Dedic.). *5. Not without fear; timid, fearful. "With doubtful feet, and wavering resolution, I come, still dreading thy displeasure." Milton : Samson Agonistes, 732, 733. 6. Characterized by doubt or hesitation. "Thus they their doubtful consultations dark Ended." Milton: P. L., ii. 486, 487. 7. Breeding or giving rise to suspicion; suspicious. "Her death was doubtful."- Shakesp.: Hamlet, v. 1. Crabb thus discriminates between doubtful , dubious, uncertain , and precarious : "The doubtful admits of doubt; the dubious creates suspense. The doubtful is said of things in which we are required to have an opinion; the dubious respects events and things that must speak for themselves. In doubtful cases it is advisable for a judge to lean to the side of mercy: while the i ue of a contest is dubious , all judgment of the parties or of the case must be carefully avoided. Doubtful and dubious have always a relation to the person forming the opinion on the subject in question: uncertain and precarious are epithets which designate the qualities of the things themselves. Whatever is uncertain may from that very circumstance be doubtful or dubious to those wao attempt to determine upon them; but they may be designated for their uncertainty without any regard to the opinions to which they may give rise. A person's coming may be doubtful or uncertain ; the length of his stay is oftener described as uncer tain than as doultful . The doubtful is opposed to that on which we form a positive conclusion; the uncertain to that which is definite or prescribed. The efficacy of any medicine is doubtful ; the manner of its operation may be uncertain . While our knowledge is limited, we must expect to meet with 1520