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:

think

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:

disbelieve

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.