sans doute

sans doute

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French sans doute.

Adverb

sans doute (not comparable)

1. (dated) Synonym of without a doubt

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French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɑ̃ dut/

• Audio

  (file)

Adverb

sans doute

1. no doubt, most probably, most likely

   Synonyms: apparemment, censément, peut-être, possiblement, probablement, vraisemblablement [1][2]

   Il vaut sans doute mieux que tu ne lui en dises rien. ― It's probably better that you say nothing to him about it.

Usage notes

• It is important to note that, contrary to what may be understood by direct translation into English, this phrase only indicates that an event or occurrence appears to be high probable, without being guaranteed. Le Robert offers the gloss:

  — selon toutes les apparences, mais sans certitude [2]

  by all appearances, but not with [absolute] certainty

To indicate the total assuredness of something's happening, one may use more precise phrases sans aucun doute or sans nul doute (both translating approximately as "without a doubt whatsoever") or an unrelated synonym such as assurément, certainement, sûrement.

Derived terms

• sans aucun doute (“without any doubt whatsoever”)
• sans nul doute (“without a doubt whatsoever”)

References

• “doute”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
• “doute” in Dictionnaire Français en ligne Larousse.

1. “doute” in Dictionnaire des synonymes Larousse.
2. “doute” in Dico en ligne Le Robert.

Anagrams

• douassent

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Norman

Adverb

sans doute

1. (Jersey) no doubt
   • 2013 March 1, Geraint Jennings, “Mar martello”, in The Town Crier‎, page 20:

     Trop d'couques gâtent la soupe sans doute, et ché s'sait mus d'penser coumme tchi agrandi la pâte ou affêtchi la soupe au run d'hèrtchîngni tréjous pouor la manniéthe d'la cop'thie, ou la manniéthe dé couté ou d'dréch'rêsse.

     Too many cooks no doubt spoil the broth, and it'd be better to think about how to make the pie bigger or thicken the soup instead of always arguing over how to carry out the cutting or what type of knife or ladle to use.