believe
//bɪˈliːv//
Forms
- present (v1)
- believe
- past (v2)
- believed
- past participle (v3)
- believed
- present participle
- believing
- 3rd person singular
- believes
Definitions
1.To accept as true, particularly without absolute certainty (i.e., as opposed to knowing).
- If you believe the numbers, you'll agree we need change.
- I believe there are faeries.
- Many persons believe that the so-called "dollar of the daddies," weighing 412½ grains (nine tenths fine), having a ratio to gold of "16 to 1" in value when first coined, was the original dollar of the Constitution.
2.To accept that someone is telling the truth.
- Why did I ever believe you?
3.To have been persuaded to accept the factuality of something despite a lack of sufficient evidence therefore.
- You guys are not going to believe this!
- Tom didn't know what he should believe.
- I still can't believe they had a snow leopard in that zoo. I thought they were an endangered species.
4.To have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth.
- After that night in the church, I believed.
Frequency
Overall
Very common· #189
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Very common
- General reading & writing
- Very common
- Academic
- Uncommon
- Literature
- Uncommon
Related words
Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁épsder.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi
Proto-Germanic *bider.
Proto-Germanic *bi-
Proto-West Germanic *bi-
Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ-der.
Proto-Germanic *laubō
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti