Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
MISDOUBT, v., n. Also misdoo(b)t.
I. v. 1. With direct obj. or noun clause, rarely with but (that) = Lat. (haud dubito) quin. To doubt, disbelieve, suspect the veracity of, distrust (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1903 E.D.D.). Gen.Sc. Vbl.n. misdooting, lack of confidence, distrust. Obs. or dial. in Eng.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality xvii.:
But I misdoubt them; they hae little skeel o' arms.Ayr. 1823 Galt R. Gilhaize I. xxiv.:
It may seem like a misdooting of our cause now to desist.Abd. 1851 W. Anderson Rhymes 142:
Ye needna misdoot that they a' lookit blate.Gall. 1881 L. B. Walford Dick Netherby xiii.:
I misdooted my ain een when I caught sicht o' ye frae the hill-tap.Ags. 1886 A. D. Willock Rosetty Ends 155:
If ye see three thummils, an' suppose that ye ken which ane o' the three the pea's aneath, juist misdoot yer judgment, for it's seldom aneath ony o' them.Uls. 1892 Ballymena Obs. (E.D.D.):
A daeny misdoot you.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona ix.:
If he has a domicile at all, which I misdoubt.Lnk. 1895 W. Fraser Whaups xiii.:
I dinna misdoot but ye dae mair wark for a shave o' hard mooly bread than it took the man that gied ye it to wark for the hale loaf.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (10 Sept.):
A'm no misdootin' ye.Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables frae French 32:
A' things to them luik simple, an' they never Misdoot their pooers, or think they arena clever.Sc. 1931 J. Lorimer Red Sergeant xix.:
He hes nae need tae misdoot the sooth.
2. With construction as in 1.: to anticipate as a likelihood, to be afraid that, to suspect (that a thing is so), rather to think (Sh., Ayr., Kcb. 1963). See Doot, v. Also refl. Obs. or dial. in Eng.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxxviii.:
And that leddy was the Queen hersell? . . . I misdoubted it when I saw that your honour didna put on your hat.Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce III. xvi.:
I misdoubt me, the youth is in a sort mansworn.Abd. 1877 G. Macdonald M. of Lossie lxviii.:
I misdoobted 'at ye wasna the same to me efter ye cam to yer ain.Fif. 1878 S. Tytler Scots Firs I. iii.:
I've little enough time to catch the last train I misdoubt.Sc. 1879 Good Words 278:
I misdoubt me, Jenny, that you're no better than an Erastian Sadducee.Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.:
He misdoubted there wud be blood dhrawed somwhere or another.Per. 1883 R. Cleland Inchbracken iii.:
I'm sair misdoubtin' but he's been after nae gude!Kcb. 1956 Abd. Univ. Review (Spring) 295:
I sair misdoot, gin the grain war grun' There'll be a gey “nip” i' the breid.
3. To be mistaken, to err. Also used in pass.Ayr. 1891 H. Johnston Kilmallie I. vi.:
The land folk 'll get a skelping the day if I dinna misdoubt.Per. 1910 W. Blair Kildermoch 106:
But I'm sair misdootit gin we had mair Pauls amon' our preachers a great deal mair guid wad be done.
II. n. A doubt, a suspicion, a fear (Cai. 1903 E.D.D.; Ags., Ayr. 1963). Arch. and dial. in Eng.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail lxvi.:
I hae a misdoot that a's no right and sound wi' her mair than wi' him.Ayr. 1833 Fraser's Mag. (Sept.) 283:
I have my misdoobts if Mr Rupert be a right sort of man.Sc. 1897 L. Keith Bonnie Lady 13:
I have a misdoubt if yon Nanny . . . gives due attention to the body of the creature for admiring his mind.Dmf. 1910 R. Quin Borderland 61:
Some vague misdoot — some foolish fear In my auld heart keeps springin'.
