About suspect and doubt

[compiler]

That I suspect or doubt he did it means I believe he likely did it or I believe he unlikely did it? Can you explain the usage of suspect and doubt? Thanks.

 

[Raymott]

"I suspect [that] he said so" means that I believe he probably said so.
"I doubt [that] he said so" means that I believe he probably did not say so.

 

[compiler]

"I suspect [that] he said so" means that I believe he probably said so.
"I doubt [that] he said so" means that I believe he probably did not say so.

What does "I suspect he did not say so" mean? What does "I doubt he did not say so" mean?

 

[MikeNewYork]

"I suspect he did not say so" means "I don't think he said it". "I doubt he did not say so" means "I think he said it".

 

[Matthew Wai]

"Suspect" means "to have an idea that something is probably true".
"Doubt" means "to feel that something is not true".
Both are quoted from my Oxford dictionary.

The OP's native language is Chinese. In English-Chinese dictionaries, the two verbs translate the same, causing confusion.

Not a teacher.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Interesting.

 

[lotus888]

I suspect that they drew from the fact that the adjective suspect has the same meaning as the adjective doubtful, then concluded that the verb suspect has the same meaning as the verb doubt.


--lotus

 

[MikeNewYork]

That's basically what Matthew said.