Yet it is not the predominant views of the experts but the views of a minority, mostly of rather doubtful standing in their profession, which are taken up and spread by the intellectuals.1949, F. A. Hayek, “The Intellectuals and Socialism”, in University of Chicago Law Review, volume 16, number 3, Chicago: University of Chicago, →DOI, page 419:
7
Unclear or unreliable.
The pupils of her great eyes were large in the doubtful lamplight, swallowing their green fires in deep pools of mystery and darkness.1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, “395–396”, in The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC:
Etymology From Middle English doutfull, douteful, equivalent to doubt + -ful.
1
A doubtful person or thing.
They had their lists of Liberals and of the doubtfuls who still remained doubtful. As the election drew near, the force of the whole organization was turned upon these unrepentant doubtfuls.1976, Kenneth Gibbons, Donald Cameron Rowat, Political Corruption in Canada: Cases, Causes and Cures, page 45: