believe

believe
[[t]bɪli͟ːv[/t]]
believes, believing, believed
1) VERB If you believe that something is true, you think that it is true, but you are not sure. [FORMAL]

[V that] Experts believe that the coming drought will be extensive...

[V that] I believe you have something of mine...

[V that] The main problem, I believe, lies elsewhere...

[V n to-inf] We believe them to be hidden here in this apartment...

[V so/not] `You've never heard of him?' - `I don't believe so.' [Also V n adj]

Syn:
2) VERB If you believe someone or if you believe what they say or write, you accept that they are telling the truth.

[V n] He did not sound as if he believed her...

[V n] Never believe anything a married man says about his wife...

[V n] Don't believe what you read in the papers.

Ant:
3) VERB If you believe in fairies, ghosts, or miracles, you are sure that they exist or happen. If you believe in a god, you are sure of the existence of that god.

[V in n] I don't believe in ghosts...

[V in n] Do you believe in magic? [Also V]

4) VERB If you believe in a way of life or an idea, you are in favour of it because you think it is good or right.

[V in n] He believed in marital fidelity.

[V in n] ...decent candidates who believed in democracy.

5) VERB If you believe in someone or what they are doing, you have confidence in them and think that they will be successful.

[V in n] If you believe in yourself you can succeed.

6) VERB: with brd-neg (feelings) Believe is used in expressions such as I can't believe how or it's hard to believe that in order to express surprise, for example because something bad has happened or something very difficult has been achieved.

[V wh] Many officers I spoke to found it hard to believe what was happening around them...

[V wh] I was a physical and emotional wreck - I still can't believe how I ever got any work done. [Also V that]

7) PHRASE: V inflects, with brd-neg (emphasis) If you say that you cannot believe your eyes or cannot believe your ears, you are emphasizing that you are very surprised about something you have seen or heard.

I could not believe my eyes. She was far more beautiful than I had imagined.

8) PHRASE: PHR with cl (emphasis) You can use believe it or not to emphasize that what you have just said is surprising.

That's normal, believe it or not.

9) PHRASE: PHR with cl (emphasis) If you say would you believe it, you are emphasizing your surprise about something.

And would you believe it, he's younger than me!

10) PHRASE: PHR with cl (emphasis) You can use believe you me to emphasize that what you are saying is true.

It's absolutely amazing, believe you me.


English dictionary. 2008.

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  • Believe — Believe, or related terms, may refer to:*Belief, a conviction or certainty, often regarding God or a supreme beingFilm and television* Believe (film), a 2007 film directed by Loki Mulholland * The Believer (film), a 2001 film starring Ryan… …   Wikipedia

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  • Believe — Be*lieve , v. i. 1. To have a firm persuasion, esp. of the truths of religion; to have a persuasion approaching to certainty; to exercise belief or faith. [1913 Webster] Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Mark ix. 24. [1913 Webster] With… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Believe — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda La palabra inglesa Believe ( creer , tanto en presente de indicativo como en imperativo) puede referirse a: Believe, canción de Dima Bilán ganadora del Festival de la Canción de Eurovisión 2008. Believe, canción de… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Believe Me — «Believe Me» Сингл Fort Minor feat. Eric Bobo and Styles of Beyond из альбома The Rising Tied Выпущен 15 ноября 2005 (версия 1) 22 ноября 2005 (версия 2) Формат CD, Цифровая дистрибуция Записан …   Википедия

  • believe — (v.) O.E. belyfan to believe, earlier geleafa (Mercian), gelefa (Northumbrian), gelyfan (W.Saxon) believe, from P.Gmc. *ga laubjan to believe, perhaps lit. hold dear, love (Cf. O.S. gilobian believe, Du. geloven, O.H.G. gilouben, Ger …   Etymology dictionary

  • Believe — Be*lieve , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Believed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Believing}.] [OE. bileven (with pref. be for AS. ge ), fr. AS. gel?fan, gel?fan; akin to D. gelooven, OHG. gilouban, G. glauben, OS. gil?bian, Goth. galaubjan, and Goth. liubs dear. See… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Believe in Me — may refer to: * Believe in Me (album), an album by Duff McKagan * Believe in Me (film), a film by Robert Collector * Believe in Me (song), a song by ATB …   Wikipedia

  • believe in — have confidence in. → belief in believe in have faith in the truth or existence of. → believe believe in think that (something) is right or acceptable. → belief in …   English new terms dictionary

  • believe — be·lieve vt be·lieved, be·liev·ing: to consider to be true or honest Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. believe I …   Law dictionary

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