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Believe

//bɪˈliːv// verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To accept as true, particularly without absolute certainty (i.e., as opposed to knowing). transitive

    "If you believe the numbers, you'll agree we need change."

  2. 2
    accept as true; take to be true wordnet
  3. 3
    To accept that someone is telling the truth. transitive

    "Why did I ever believe you?"

  4. 4
    credit with veracity wordnet
  5. 5
    To have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth. intransitive

    "After that night in the church, I believed."

Show 7 more definitions
  1. 6
    follow a credo; have a faith; be a believer wordnet
  2. 7
    To opine, think, reckon. transitive

    "Do you think this is good? —Hmm, I believe it's okay."

  3. 8
    judge or regard; look upon; judge wordnet
  4. 9
    [with in]; To ascribe existence to.

    "Do you believe in God / the Easter Bunny / ghosts?"

  5. 10
    be confident about something wordnet
  6. 11
    [with in]; To believe that (something) is right or desirable.

    "I don't believe in sex before marriage."

  7. 12
    [with in]; To have confidence in the ability or power of.

    "I believe in you, man! You can do it!"

Etymology

From Middle English beleven, bileven, from Old English belīefan (“to believe”), from Proto-West Germanic *bilaubijan (“to believe”), equivalent to be- + leave (“to give leave or permission to, permit, allow, grant”). Cognate with Scots beleve (“to believe”), Middle Low German belö̂ven (“to believe”), Middle High German belouben (“to believe”). A related term in Old English was ġelīefan (“to be dear to; believe, trust”), from Proto-West Germanic *galaubijan (“to have faith, believe”), from Proto-Germanic *galaubijaną. Compare also Old English ġelēafa (“belief, faith, confidence, trust”), Old English lēof ("dear, valued, beloved, pleasant, agreeable" > English lief). Related also to North Frisian leauwjen (“to believe”), West Frisian leauwe (“to believe”), Dutch geloven (“to believe”), German glauben (“to believe”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌿𐌱𐌾𐌰𐌽 (galaubjan, “to hold dear, valuable, or satisfactory, approve of, believe”). The prepositionally transitive senses with in are a semantic loan from Latin crēdō in aliquem / aliquid.

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