dubious

In chess, "dubious" refers to a move or opening that is believed to place the player who plays it at a disadvantage, but has not yet been decisively proven to be "unsound."

In chess notation, a dubious move is typically marked with an exclamation point followed by a question mark (!?) after the move notation.

Du"bi*ous (?), a. [L. dubius, dubiosus, fr. duo two. See Two, and cf. Doubt.]

1.

Doubtful or not settled in opinion; being in doubt; wavering or fluctuating; undetermined.

"Dubious policy."

Sir T. Scott.

A dubious, agitated state of mind.

Thackeray.

2.

Occasioning doubt; not clear, or obvious; equivocal; questionable; doubtful; as, a dubious answer.

Wiping the dingy shirt with a still more dubious pocket handkerchief.

Thackeray.

3.

Of uncertain event or issue; as, in dubious battle.

Syn. -- Doubtful; doubting; unsettled; undetermined; equivocal; uncertain. Cf. Doubtful.

© Webster 1913.