All 50 Uses of
dubious
in
An American Tragedy
- At this the young girl began to interpret the melody upon the organ, emitting a thin though correct strain, at the same time joining her rather high soprano with that of her mother, together with the rather dubious baritone of the father.†
Chpt 1
- "Do you suppose she's run away for good?" he asked Julia dubiously, the while his parents were out of the room, Julia herself looking so blank and strange.†
Chpt 1
- But his parents, bethinking themselves of Esta and the fate that had overtaken her, were not a little dubious as to the outcome of such early adventuring on his part alone.†
Chpt 1
- Clyde approached him, and being still very dubious as to how one went about getting anything in life, and finding him engrossed in what he was doing, stood first on one foot and then on the other, until at last, sensing some one was hovering about for something, the man turned: "Well?" he queried.†
Chpt 1
- "Well, let me see," observed the head of the bell-hops, scratching his head dubiously.†
Chpt 1
- By this time, Clyde, having acclimated himself to this caloric atmosphere, was by no means as dubious as he was at first.†
Chpt 1
- And particularly was he pleased and enlightened—or rather dubiously liberated—in connection with his nervousness and uncertainty in regard to his charm or fascination for girls of his own years.†
Chpt 1
- And in part this was true, only so changed was Clyde's manner of late, that his mother had been compelled to take a very different attitude toward him and was beginning to be not a little dubious as to her further control over him.†
Chpt 1
- Recently, or since he had secured this latest place, for some reason he had seemed to her to have grown wiser, more assured, less dubious of himself, inclined to go his own way and keep his own counsel.†
Chpt 1
- "How long have you been back, Esta?" he repeated dubiously, scarcely knowing just what to say now, for now that he was here and she was as she was he began to scent expense, trouble, distress and to wish almost that he had not been so curious.†
Chpt 1
- And not to be outdone in gallantry by the others, he now put one arm about Laura Sipe while he guided the car with the other, a feat which troubled Clyde, who was still dubious about the wisdom of taking the car at all.†
Chpt 1
- I thought we said"—she paused dubiously.†
Chpt 1
- He paused and mused dubiously.†
Chpt 2
- "Well, he's a very interesting young man, I think," continued Griffiths tentatively and somewhat dubiously, since up to this hour he had not truly made up his mind about Clyde.†
Chpt 2
- "Well, yes, sir," answered Clyde, a little dubiously, for he was still convinced that the form of religious work his father essayed was of all forms the poorest and most inconsequential socially.†
Chpt 2
- In addition, not knowing just what Clyde was, or what his coming might mean to their separate and individual positions, they were inclined to be dubious and suspicious.†
Chpt 2
- "Oh, I don't know," replied Clyde dubiously, and yet very much flattered by this assumption of intimacy.†
Chpt 2
- But he added a little dubiously: "Of course my relatives here——"†
Chpt 2
- Clyde was still so dubious as to the wisdom of all this that he was inclined to be a little silent.†
Chpt 2
- Then he arose and dismissed them both with an air, and Whiggam, still somewhat dubious as to the experiment, but now very anxious to be pleasant to Clyde since he could not tell what he might become, led the way to Mr. Liggett's floor.†
Chpt 2
- "Yes, sir, I know you can," replied Clyde very much impressed by his cousin's succinct demand, although, after Rita, a little dubious.†
Chpt 2
- They say not," she pursed her lips dubiously, herself rather interested in Clyde along with the others.†
Chpt 2
- "But I have my friend with me here," she exclaimed almost sadly and dubiously, for she still wanted to go alone—never in her life had she wanted any one less than Grace Marr at this moment.†
Chpt 2
- And so both he and she, as well as Grace, were dubious on the instant about the wisdom of riding back together.†
Chpt 2
- And Roberta herself, once having made this move and settled herself in this new atmosphere (apart from the fact that it gave her much greater freedom in connection with Clyde) was dubious as to her present course.†
Chpt 2
- But, occupying the rather prominent social position which she did, she was at first rather dubious as to how to proceed.†
Chpt 2
- She grieved dubiously at the factory and in her room afterwards, thinking that Clyde might at least have suggested coming around to her room late, after his uncle's dinner in order that she might give him the presents.†
Chpt 2
- Of course," she said a little dubiously, and for the first time nervously, where he was concerned.†
Chpt 2
- And cautious and yet attracted, swayed sensually and emotionally and yet dubious as to the wisdom of her course, Sondra replied: "Well, I'll tell you.†
Chpt 2
- She shook her head dubiously, surveyed her face in the mirror, put together the few presents and belongings which she was taking with her to her home, and departed.†
Chpt 2
- For she was dubious as to whether her mother would not consider that her aspirations were a bit high.†
Chpt 2
- "Well, anyhow," she went on dubiously in the face of this, "don't you think you might have left a note here, Clyde, so I would have got it when I got in?"†
Chpt 2
- "Oh, yes, I know," replied Roberta, standing tensely and nervously before him, her face white, her hands suddenly clenched, and looking up at him dubiously and yet pleadingly.†
Chpt 2
- And while she noted this and was in part made dubious by it, since it was the thing in Clyde she most feared—still she was intrigued by it to the extent of wishing to know its further meaning.†
Chpt 2
- She merely looked at him dubiously, wondering what could be the result of such an infatuation as this.†
Chpt 2
- Yet, seeing him go out, the door close, and no endearing demonstrations of any kind having been exchanged between them, she returned to her bed, shaking her head dubiously.†
Chpt 2
- He paused for a moment, as though, like Clyde, he too were dubious of the wisdom of entering upon details of this kind, but after a few seconds continued: "You see a thing like that's not so easy, wherever you are.†
Chpt 2
- At once Dr. Glenn became dubious again, though he gave her no sign.
Chpt 2 *dubious = doubtful or suspicious
- But fearing to commit himself in any way, he merely paused, adding after a time soothingly and dubiously: "You mustn't cry.†
Chpt 2
- He paused to see what effect this explanation would have, but noting the somewhat dubious expression which of late characterized Roberta's face whenever he began excusing himself, he added hopefully and evasively, seeking by any trick that he could to delay this sudden issue: "Besides, I'm not so sure that I can't find a doctor yet, either.†
Chpt 2
- When first she began to speak, Clyde had seated himself on the edge of the bed, listening nervously and dubiously to all she had to offer.†
Chpt 2
- For although Mrs. Finchley, who was of an especially shrewd and discerning turn socially, had at first been dubious over the attentions being showered upon Clyde by her daughter and others, still observing that Clyde was more and more being entertained, not only in her own home by the group of which her daughter was a part, but elsewhere, everywhere, was at last inclined to imagine that he must be more solidly placed in this world than she had heard, and later to ask her son and even…†
Chpt 2
- Mason was dubious.†
Chpt 3
- And, if so, would not that, regardless of whether the body was found or not, cause them to become dubious as to whether a double drowning had occurred?†
Chpt 3
- But then again pausing silently and dubiously, the while vesper sparrows and woodfinches sang.†
Chpt 3
- Being dubious because of the smartness of the company as to whether it was politically or socially wise to proclaim openly the import of his errand, he chose to remain silent for a time, reflecting on the difference between the experiences of his early youth and that of Roberta Alden and these others.†
Chpt 3
- For, of course, as Mr. Griffiths and his son so well knew, in Utica, New York City, Albany (and now that he came to think of it, more particularly in Albany, where were two brothers, Canavan & Canavan, most able if dubious individuals), there were criminal lawyers deeply versed in the abstrusities and tricks of the criminal law.†
Chpt 3
- He poked it genially and authoritatively through the narrow bars toward which Clyde, now curious and dubious, approached.†
Chpt 3
- He paused and scratched his slightly graying temple dubiously.†
Chpt 3
- "Well, whatever theory we advance, those things will have to be accounted for in some way," replied Jephson, dubiously.†
Chpt 3
Definition:
-
(dubious) doubtfulin various senses, including:
- questionable or doubtful that something should be relied upon -- as in "The argument relies on a dubious assumption."
- suspicious or doubtful that something is morally proper -- as in "The company is accused of using dubious sales practices to influence minors."
- bad or of questionable value -- as in "The state has the dubious distinction of the highest taxes."
- uncertain or doubtful -- as in "She is dubious about making the change."