adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
of doubtful origin (= unknown and possibly suspicious )
▪
The fire was still being treated as of doubtful origin.
(of) dubious/doubtful provenance (= used to suggest that something may have been stolen )
▪
artworks of doubtful provenance
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
extremely
▪
Top scorer Ian Wright and skipper Tony Adams are extremely doubtful .
▪
While keeping an open mind, most archaeologists remain extremely doubtful .
▪
It's extremely doubtful whether, in these days of computer technology, information is still best conveyed by means of lectures.
▪
Former Manchester United reserve Paul Dalton is rated extremely doubtful with a strained thigh muscle.
more
▪
Whether the boy understood what father said, or whether Ramsey did so, is more doubtful .
▪
It means more doubtful inward investment.
▪
Whether such a process can operate on a large enough scale to produce major oasis depressions is more doubtful .
▪
To outsiders it seemed that the regime was becoming unstable and that its survival appeared more and more doubtful .
▪
He may have admitted a friend or relative, although that's even more doubtful .
▪
What seems more doubtful is that Charles's future share in the realm was overtly discussed in June 823.
▪
The continuum between main secondary and post-16 education is more doubtful .
▪
His own men would, of course; but the others were more doubtful .
very
▪
Whether all this activity actually reduces the suffering in the region is very doubtful .
▪
He looked very doubtful when I asked certain questions and laughed me to scorn when I gave my verdict.
▪
In my opinion it is very doubtful whether all this disruption to so many people was justified by the experience I gained.
▪
How much of this former water erosion can be attributed to pluvial phases in the Pleistocene is very doubtful .
▪
The real danger lies in a too enthusiastic recording of very doubtful features as marine terraces.
▪
It was very doubtful that she would spend next Christmas here.
▪
Whether privilege may be claimed in respect of actions rather than words is very doubtful .
■ NOUN
look
▪
Rain, Oliver and Cobalt all gave Tim rather doubtful looks .
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
"Is Maddy coming tonight?" "It's looking doubtful - she was really sick."
▪
Doblado accepted the doubtful honor of organizing the fund-raiser.
▪
I could see that Holmes still looked doubtful .
▪
It's doubtful that we'll finish this tonight.
▪
The general expressed his concern about the number of citizens with doubtful loyalties.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪
And, of course, it was doubtful whether the girl would back him up.
▪
But the result confirmed that building society provisions will rocket this year to cover bad and doubtful home loans.
▪
He saw they were doubtful now that this had been a serious meeting.
▪
It is doubtful whether the diners actually find these offerings delicious.
▪
It means more doubtful inward investment.
▪
Most local NGOs are dependent on donor funds; their sustainability without such funds is doubtful .
▪
Though it was doubtful that Fen's company was any less disturbing.