believe
/bɪˈliːv
/verb [with object]
1Accept that (something) is true, especially without proof: the superintendent believed Lancaster’s story [with clause]: some 23 per cent believe that smoking keeps down weight...
- How many of you, as kids, read these insane stories and believed them to be true?
- Twelve months ago, the Worralls were looking forward to Christmas, believing Rose's condition was in remission.
- The trust believes these measures will prevent similar problems in the future.
Synonyms
be convinced by, trust, have confidence in, consider honest, consider truthful
regard as true, accept as true, accept, be convinced by, give credence to, credit, give credit to, trust, put confidence in, count on, rely on, depend on
informal swallow, {swallow something hook, line, and sinker}, fall for, go for, buy, take as gospel
1.1Accept the statement of (someone) as true: he didn’t believe her...
- Many local people believed him when he spoke of the right or wrong siting of houses or tombs.
- Although the City didn't quite think that was true, they were inclined to believe him.
- One of those who manage to escape sees the bodies of 3,000 people but no one believes him.
1.2 [no object] Have religious faith: there are those on the fringes of the Church who do not really believe...
- Was it lifted up whole and intact to heaven, as the Catholic faith believes?
- Obviously, he does not see the point of religion as the believer does, since for the believer seeing the point of religion is believing.
- God asks us to overcome what we cannot see, take a leap of faith and believe and trust in him.
1.3 (believe something of) Feel sure that (someone) is capable of doing something: I wouldn’t have believed it of Lavinia—what an extraordinary woman!...
- It looks pretty bad for him, Mrs. Donovan, said Diana, but even so I cant believe it of him eitherI wont believe it.
- I couldn't believe it of him because he had behaved so normally at home.
2 [with clause] Hold (something) as an opinion; think: I believe we’ve already met (believe someone/thing to be) four men were believed to be trapped...
- I have a hard time believing that my opinion would change regardless of who did the work though.
- He believes that moving to Rochdale Infirmary will add to the already difficult parking problems.
- It is believed that with one man already convicted of the bombing, there are no grounds to reopen the inquiries.
Synonyms
think, be of the opinion that, think it likely that, have an idea that, imagine, feel, have a feeling, hold, maintain, suspect, suppose, assume, presume, conjecture, surmise, postulate that, theorize that, conclude, come to the conclusion that, deduce;
understand, be given to understand, take it, gather, fancy, guess, dare say;
North American figure
informal reckon
archaic ween
Phrases
believe it or not
believe me (or believe you me)
be unable to (or be hardly able to) believe one's luck
be unable to believe one's eyes (or ears)
don't you believe it!
would you believe (it)?
Phrasal verbs
believe in
Origin
Late Old English belȳfan, belēfan, alteration of gelēfan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch geloven and German glauben, also to lief.