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单词 believe
释义

believev.

Brit. /bᵻˈliːv/, U.S. /bəˈliv/, /biˈliv/
Forms:

α. Old English belyfan, late Old English belefan, early Middle English bileæf (imperative), early Middle English bilefe, early Middle English bilyfe (west midlands), Middle English belefþ (3rd singular indicative), Middle English belyf (imperative), Middle English bylef (imperative), Middle English bylefþ (3rd singular indicative), late Middle English beleeff (Norfolk), late Middle English (north midlands) 1600s beleefe, late Middle English (chiefly northern and north midlands)–1500s belefe, 1600s beelefe; Scottish pre-1700 beleif, pre-1700 beleife, pre-1700 beleiff, pre-1700 beleiffe, pre-1700 beleyf, pre-1700 belief, pre-1700 belieff, pre-1700 belif, pre-1700 belyf, pre-1700 belyffe.

β. early Middle English biliue (chiefly south-west midlands), early Middle English biluue (south-western), early Middle English byleoue (south-west midlands), Middle English belewe, Middle English belyeve, Middle English belyue, Middle English belyve, Middle English bileeue, Middle English bileeve, Middle English bileueve, Middle English bileve, Middle English bilieue, Middle English bilieve, Middle English bilyue, Middle English byleeve, Middle English bylyue (chiefly south-western and south-west midlands), Middle English 1600s byleeue, Middle English–1500s bileue, Middle English–1500s byleue, Middle English–1500s byleve, Middle English–1600s beleeue, Middle English–1600s beleue, Middle English–1600s belieue, Middle English–1600s beliue, Middle English–1700s beleeve, Middle English–1700s beleve, Middle English– believe, 1500s beeleue, 1500s beleiue, 1500s–1700s beleive, 1600s beleave, 1600s beleiv, 1600s beleuve, 1600s belive, 1600s bieleeve, 1600s blive, 1600s byleive, 1600s–1700s beleaue, 1800s– b'lieve (regional and nonstandard); Scottish pre-1700 beleave, pre-1700 beleawe, pre-1700 beleeue, pre-1700 beleiue, pre-1700 beleive, pre-1700 beleiwe, pre-1700 beleue, pre-1700 beleve, pre-1700 belewe, pre-1700 beleyve, pre-1700 belieue, pre-1700 beliue, pre-1700 belive, pre-1700 beliwe, pre-1700 byleive, pre-1700 1700s beleeve, pre-1700 1700s– believe.

Also past tense: early Middle English beliefde (chiefly southern), early Middle English bilefde, early Middle English biliefde (south-western), 1500s–1600s (1800s– English regional (south-eastern)) beleft. Also past participle: early Middle English beliefde (chiefly southern), early Middle English bileafde, 1500s–1600s (1800s– English regional (south-eastern)) beleft.
Origin: Probably a variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: yleve v.
Etymology: Probably an alteration (with prefix substitution: see be- prefix) of yleve v. (compare also (aphetic) leve v.2); yleve v. is in turn cognate with Old Dutch gilōbian (Middle Dutch gelōven , Dutch geloven ), Old Saxon gilōbian (Middle Low German gelȫven ), Old High German gilouben (Middle High German gelouben , glöuben , German glauben , †gleuben ), Gothic galaubjan , all showing a similar range of senses; further etymology uncertain and disputed (see below). The Scandinavian languages lack a cognate verb, using instead the respective cognates of trow v. in both religious and non-religious senses. Compare belief n.yleve v. and its cognates are clearly the etymons of the respective nouns cited at belief n., and presuppose a Proto-Germanic weak Class I verb. Verbs of this class are chiefly de-adjectival or deverbal, although a number of denominal formations are also attested. The base in this case is very uncertain. It may show an ablaut variant of the Germanic base of love v.2, lof n., and probably also love n.1 and (with different ablaut grade) lief adj. Alternatively, the verbs may ultimately reflect a derivative formation < a Germanic prefixed adjective (itself of uncertain origin and morphological relationship) whose reflex is seen in Gothic galaufs precious (also galubs ) and Old High German giloub pleasing (in an isolated attestation). (There does not appear to be any substantiation for the very speculative semantic assumptions that underlie an elaboration of this explanation (see J. Trier Holz: Etymologien aus dem Niederwald (1952) 126–31) that attempts to link these adjectives further with the Germanic base of leaf n.1) Among the other Germanic languages, the only apparent morphological parallels of believe v. are Old Frisian bilēwa , biliōwa , in uncertain sense (probably ‘to allow’) and Middle Low German belȫven ‘to permit, to trust (a person), to entrust (a thing) to a person, to credit (a sum of money) to a person’; however, it is likely that these show independent formations (with the Middle Low German verb compare the Germanic verbs cited at furlough n.). In the history of English believe v. has gradually superseded its earlier synonym yleve v. (and also leve v.2); the modern standard spelling of the verb with -ie- is probably after (etymologically unrelated) relieve v. yleve v. is very much commoner than believe v. in Old English, antedating the latter (compare quot. eOE at sense 1a), which first appears in manuscripts of the late 10th cent. yleve v. is also attested in Old English in several senses corresponding to senses of believe v. not attested until Middle English, including senses 1b, 2, 3a, 4a, 5b, 6, and 7. In Old English (in sense 1a) believe v. is only found with on ; compare Old English gelīefan on , the parallel construction with yleve v. in the same sense (compare quots. eOE, OE, lOE at sense 1a). The religious senses of yleve v. and its cognates in other Germanic languages are after classical Latin crēdere and its post-classical Latin specific Christian uses (see credit n.); the latter are in turn influenced by the Christian uses (in the Septuagint, New Testament, and patristic writers) of ancient Greek πιστεύειν to believe, to trust.
1. To have confidence or faith in, and consequently to rely on or trust to, a person or (Theology) a god or the name of a god.
a. intransitive. [Compare post-classical Latin credere in aliquem (Vulgate).] With in, on, †into, †unto (rare), †of (rare), †upon. No difference can be detected between the use of ‘believe in’ and ‘believe on’ in the 16th-cent. versions of the Bible, except that the latter was more frequent; it is now archaic.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > aspects of faith > [verb (intransitive)]
ylevec888
believeOE
trowc1175
the mind > mental capacity > belief > belief, trust, confidence > trust [verb (intransitive)]
hopec888
believeOE
trowc1000
levec1175
strusta1250
trista1250
trestc1275
traista1300
affyc1330
assurec1374
restc1384
sover1488
confidea1525
faith1555
relyc1571
build1573
eOE tr. Orosius Hist. (BL Add.) (1980) iv. iv. 88 Ða diofla [þe] hie on geliefdon.]
OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 1st Ser. (Royal) (1997) vii. 237 Witodlice þa ðe on God belyfað [OE Bodl. 340 gelyfað], hi sind þurh þone halgan gast gewissode.
lOE Extracts from Gospels: John (Vesp. D.xiv) xiv. 1 in R. D.-N. Warner Early Eng. Homilies (1917) 77 Ge gelefeð on God, belefeð eac on me.
a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 19 (MED) To bileuen in god.
a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 23 Ich bileue on þe holie gost.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 12 Ich beleue ine God.
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) John xiv. 1 Ȝe bileuen in to God, and bileue ȝe in to me [L.V., Tyndale, Great, Geneva, Rheims, King James in God..in me; L. creditis in Deum, et in me credite].
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) John i. 12 To hem that bileuen in his name [so Geneva, Rheims; Tyndale, Great, King James To them that beleeue on his name; L. his qui credunt in nomine eius].
c1450 (c1400) Sowdon of Babylon (1881) l. 1816 (MED) Laban and all his men, That on Mahounde byleved.
c1515 Ld. Berners tr. Bk. Duke Huon of Burdeux (1882–7) 464 They were al content to leue theyr law and to byleue of Iesu chryst.
1530 R. Whitford Werke for Housholders (new ed.) B. iv I byleue vpon god & vpon his feyth.
1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Svpper of the Lorde f. cxxijv I beleue in one God. The father almightie maker of heauen and yearth.
1577 T. Vautrollier tr. M. Luther Comm. Epist. to Galathians (new ed.) f. 72 By doing good works thou shalt be made worthie of eternall life: but by beleuing in Christ thou shalt be made culpable and giltie of eternal death.
1649 E. Reynolds Israels Prayer (new ed.) iii. 7 All that should beleeve on him unto eternall life.
1699 H. Chandler Effort against Biggotry (1709) 6 Their Believing in Christ was no Disingagement from Judaism.
1701 T. Bennet Confut. Popery ii. xiii. 204 Our Adversaries will not believe of our Holy Apostle, because they think it Idolatrous to pray to a Creature in the very same manner as to the Creator God.
a1770 J. Jortin Serm. (1772) VII. i. 13 Who..believe in Christ, with a resolution to act suitably to this persuasion.
1838 W. G. Simms Richard Hurdis II. vi. 63 Here—take your share of the money. It will help you to believe in us.
1860 E. B. Pusey Minor Prophets 279 To believe in or on God, expresses not belief only, but that belief resting in God, trusting itself and all its concerns with Him.
1887 T. Hardy Woodlanders II. x. 182 I quite believe in you, for I know you are very accomplished, because you study so hard.
1929 R. Frost Let. 6 Jan. (1964) 194 I don't believe in myself as a problem-solver.
1945 G. H. Smith Missionary & Anthropol. ix. 110 To persuade a savage that it is to his advantage to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
1973 Jet 28 June 52/2 ‘My hands are clean,’ Ali said. ‘I am a Muslim and I believe in Allah and Allah will take care of me because my hands are clean.’
2008 K. Brooks Black Rabbit Summer (2009) xxiv. 366 I can see things that other people can't see. It's how I make my living. It's how I make people believe in me.
b. intransitive. Theology. Without preposition. To have religious faith.will to believe: see will n.1 Compounds 3.
ΚΠ
c1330 (?a1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) p. 486 (MED) Y nil nouȝt þou forsake god þine: Þou art bileueand wele afine.
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. v. l. 598 Alle þe wallis ben of witte..Boterased with bileue-so-or-þow-beest-nouȝte-ysaued.
1485–6 W. Caxton tr. Laurent Ryal Bk. cx. sig. m vii Wel to byleue is. whan a man byleueth symply and stedfastly alle that whyche god sayth and commaundeth.
a1500 (?a1390) J. Mirk Festial (Gough) (1905) 51 (MED) He þat beleueth not, he schall be dampnet.
1533 T. More 2nd Pt. Confut. Tyndals Answere iv. p. cxxviii Neyther good workes haue reward in heuen, nor that any euyll workes shall haue any punysshement..yf the synner be but a bare penytent & onely byleue and repent.
1546 J. Heywood Dialogue Prouerbes Eng. Tongue ii. ix. sig. Kiiiv Beleue well and haue well, men saie.
1611 Bible (King James) Mark v. 36 Be not afraid, onely beleeue . View more context for this quotation
1627 R. Sanderson Ten Serm. 291 Who so forward as they to repent, and beleeue, and reforme their liues.
a1631 J. Donne Poems (1650) 7 I can love..Her who beleeves, and her who tries.
1649 Platform Church Discipline (Cambridge Synod) sig. A 2 As we believe, so we speak.
1696 V. Alsop Decus & Tutamen 118 We believe well, but live ill.
1755 J. Hervey Theron & Aspasio III. xvi. 323 There is no clogging Qualification..to your full Participation of Christ and his Riches. Only believe, and they are all your own.
1789 W. Huntington Let. to C. Evans 58 He who believes is justified from all things.
1816 E. S. Ely Ten Serm. on Faith ii. 49 He who believes, will desire increasing knowledge of God.
1870 M. D. Conway Earthward Pilgrimage xiv. 178 The man who really believes follows that which he believes, fearless of consequences.
1904 R. A. Falconer Truth Apostolic Gospel i. vi. 45 He who believes trusts in the mercy of God.
1977 W. Johnston Still Point (new ed.) viii. 134 An intense love welling up within the heart of him who believes enlightens the intelligence, which is now flooded with a new knowledge, no longer stemming from discursive reasoning.
2001 J. D. Walters (title) Out of the labyrinth: for those who want to believe, but can't.
2. intransitive. With in, †of (rare), †on, †to (rare). To have confidence in the truth or accuracy of (a statement, doctrine, etc.). In later use also: to have confidence in the genuineness, virtue, value, or efficacy of (a principle, institution, practice, etc.); (with following gerund) to consider (doing something) an appropriate, desirable, or correct way to act.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > believe [verb (intransitive)]
weenc888
believea1225
aglea1325
to give credence toc1395
faithc1438
to add faith to?1483
to give credit to something1533
credit1557
to take (large etc.) stock in (rarely of)1870
a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 55 (MED) Ic am eadi þat ic beliefde on godes sonde, ðe he me sante seggen bi Gabriel.
c1300 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Otho) (1963) l. 6931 Ȝoure bi-leue þat ȝeo an bi-lefeþ [c1275 Calig. ileueð].
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xv. clxxi. 823 Wrecches þat bileueþ in suche doynge ben adreynt.
?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 340 Ȝe Ffonnys And Slought of herte, Ffor to beleve in holy scrypture!
1532 T. More Confut. Tyndales Answere Pref. sig. Aaiiiv As the Turkes do, byd men byleue in Machometes alchoran.
1569 J. Rogers Glasse Godly Love 181 We repent and beleeve in the promise of God in Christ.
1630 E. Pagitt Christianogr. (1636) i. iii. 160 They do not well beleeve of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome.
a1645 W. Browne tr. M. Le Roy Hist. Polexander (1647) i. iii. 67 Beleeve lesse to your courage then judgement.
1662 Bk. Common Prayer Nicene Creed I believe in..the life of the world to come. Amen.
1687 tr. J. B. Bossuet Conf. with Mr. Claude 77 We must be able to believe on the Churches word, before we have read the holy Scripture.
1693 tr. N. Knatchbull Annot. New Test. 312 The ‘Catechumeni’..were interrogated by the Priest, whether they did believe in the Resurrection of the dead.
1766 tr. Voltaire Philos. Hist. xlii. 199 It is remarkable that this high-priest Hircan was a Sadducean, and that he neither believed in the immortality of the soul, nor in angels.
1797 R. Southey Let. 26 June in C. C. Southey Life & Corr. R. Southey (1849) I. 317 There was a time when I believed in the persuadibility of man, and had the mania of man-mending.
1816 S. T. Coleridge Coll. Lett. (1959) IV. 686 What could I say to readers who could believe that I believed in Astrology but not in the Newtonian Astronomy?
1865 J. B. Mozley 8 Lect. Miracles vii. 139 In this sense St. Paul, if I may use the expression, believes in human nature; he thinks it capable of rising to great heights even in this life.
1885 Advance (Hillsdale College, Michigan) 18 Nov. 71/2 I don't believe in doing what my better judgement tells me not to undertake.
1887 N.E.D. (at cited word) To believe in universal suffrage, free education, vegetarianism, the college system; colloq. To believe in public schools, in the roast beef of Old England, in bicycles, the telephone, gas, etc.
1906 I. J. Peritz et al. Illustr. Lesson Notes for 1907 97 To believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ is to believe in the resurrection of humanity.
1948 G. Vidal City & Pillar (1949) i. v. §2. 117 Sullivan believed in exercise.
1977 P. Rabinow Refl. on Fieldwork in Morocco viii. 144 Very, very, few people, in his view, actually believe in Islam.
2005 D. Couling Ferruccio Busoni vii. 152 I suspect that..he was simply a bad manager, and something of a spendthrift. Or, looking at it another way: he believed in enjoying life.
3.
a. transitive. [Compare classical Latin crēdere aliquid.] To give intellectual assent to, accept the truth or accuracy of (a statement, doctrine, etc.), give credence to.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > accept as true, believe [verb (transitive)]
ylevec888
leve971
ween971
i-weneOE
takec1175
trowc1175
truth?c1250
thinka1275
believec1300
trustc1325
hold1340
trist1340
to give (one's) faith to (also unto)c1405
accept?c1430
admitc1449
credencea1529
to take a person at his (also her) word1535
credit1547
faith1576
to take a person's word1576
receive1581
creed1596
understand1751
Adam and Eve1925
buy1926
c1300 Life & Martyrdom Thomas Becket (Harl. 2277) (1845) l. 1310 The Archebischop is wilful and whan he is alles ibroȝt In a wil that is lute worth he nele bileve hit noȝt.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 151 Huanne me belefþ..al þet God made, zayþ, and hat.
c1350 (a1333) William of Shoreham Poems (1902) 7 He þat bi-lefeþ hit nauȝt.
a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) I. 141 Sir, ye may well beleve hit.
1528 T. More Dialogue Heresyes i, in Wks. 133/1 Ye be so cyrcumspect that ye will nothing beleue without good sufficient & full profe.
1546 Wycklyffes Wycket sig. A.iiiiv They make vs beleue a false law.
1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Euensong f. vii This is the Catholyke fayth: whiche excepte a man beleue faythfully, he cannot be saued.
1627 T. May tr. Lucan Pharsalia (new ed.) vi. 262 Aulus beleft These fained words of his.
1649 E. Reynolds Israels Prayer (new ed.) ii. 71 Our faith to beleeve Gods promises.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost x. 42 Believing lies Against his Maker. View more context for this quotation
a1748 I. Watts Improvem. Mind ii. iii, in Coll. Wks. (1753) V. 331 Men cannot believe what they will.
1833 C. Colton Tour Amer. Lakes II. xi. 177 The too credulous Indians..believed what they were told.
a1854 H. Reed Lect. Eng. Hist. (1855) ii. 67 It is..as irrational to believe too little, as to believe too much.
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. §24. 171 The Guide Chef evidently did not believe a word of it.
1895 J. Winsor Mississippi Basin x. 214 Greenhow refers to the story, not without an inclination to believe it.
1932 Collier's 9 Jan. 38/2 He wasn't used to liquor, his cousins said. Do you believe that?
1972 H. Perr Rosebloom 11 Don't believe everything you read.
2007 M. O'Sullivan Easter at Tobruk i. 9 You won't believe my story.
b. transitive. To accept the reality of the impressions transmitted by (the physical senses). Chiefly in negative contexts. See also to believe one's ears at ear n.1 Phrases 2d, to believe one's (own) eyes at eye n.1 Phrases 2b.
ΚΠ
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Luke xxiv. f. ccv They did neither perfectly beleue theyr owne iyes, nor theyr eares, nor theyr handes.
1578 J. Banister Hist. Man viii. f. 105v Some will scarse beleue their owne eyes.
1648 ‘Mercurio-Mastix Hibernicus’ Muzzle for Cerberus 3 These now, who by their lewd Libells, and poysonous Pamphlets, have cast aspertions both upon our Senators and Synod, as foule as false, to bring them in contempt with the fluctuate and credulous mutable multitude, who will believe their eares in a manner before their eyes.
1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 142 When Day broke I could hardly believe my Eyes.
1713 G. Berkeley Three Dialogues Hylas & Philonous iii. 107 I am of a vulgar Cast, simple enough to believe my Senses.
1779 F. Burney Early Jrnls. & Lett. (1994) III. 317 We all stared, & looked & re-looked again & again, 20 Times ere we could believe our Eyes.
1807 C. Lamb Tales from Shakespear I. 200 Lear at first could not believe his eyes or ears, nor that it was his daughter who spoke so unkindly.
1848 J. C. Hare & A. W. Hare Guesses at Truth 2nd Ser. (ed. 2) 497 Seeing is believing, says the proverb... Though, of all our senses, the eyes are the most easily deceived, we believe them in preference to any other evidence.
a1885 ‘H. Conway’ Living or Dead (1886) viii He..blamed my partner, who could scarcely believe his ears.
1922 L. F. Perkins Sc. Twins 101 Jean was so astonished that for an instant she could not believe her own eyes.
1970 R. A. Lafferty Nine Hundred Grandmothers 15 Lobster, lobster,..the water has passed the danger point! And it hardly feels different. If you believe your senses in this, then you will be boiled alive in your credulity.
2004 D. King Pornographer Diaries xviii. 223 I couldn't believe my ears, here was WPC Kensington, who only last week had me in cuffs, offering to give me money to take pictures of her rhubarb.
†c. transitive. To accept (a thing) as authentic. Obsolete. rare.
ΚΠ
1721 J. Strype Eccl. Memorials II. i. xv. 118 That these pensions should presently be sent to the hands of the auditors..with strait commandment to believe the same patents immediately.
4.
a. transitive. With that clause, or with simple object and infinitive clause or complement: to consider to be true; to have as an opinion, think.to believe that the moon is made of green cheese: see moon n.1 Phrases 2. to give (a person) to believe: see give v. 29b.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > aspects of faith > [verb (transitive)]
believec1325
trow1340
the mind > mental capacity > belief > expressed belief, opinion > hold an opinion [verb (transitive)]
ween971
holda1300
believec1325
judgec1325
feelc1380
supposea1387
conceivea1425
take1429
opinea1475
thinkc1480
supponea1500
esteem1507
opinion1555
intend?1577
meditate1585
opinionate1599
opiniate1624
arbitrate1637
apprehend1639
state1671
calculate1805
consider1830
fink1888
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 4702 (MED) Þe heþene englissemen..Bileuede þat in heuene godes hii were bo.
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) ii. 3396 (MED) Forto make ous full believe That he was verrai goddes Sone.
?a1425 (c1400) Mandeville's Trav. (Titus C.xvi) (1919) 87 (MED) We beleuen..þat euery man schall haue his meryte after he hath disserued.
a1513 H. Bradshaw Lyfe St. Werburge (1521) i. viii. sig. c.vv Who byleueth her chast.
1575 J. Awdely Fraternitye of Vacabondes (new ed.) sig. B4v A pickthanke knaue, that would make his Maister beleue that the Cowe is woode.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) iii. i. 294 I beleeue I know the cause. View more context for this quotation
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 144 Our Conquerour, (whom I now Of force believe Almighty..). View more context for this quotation
1719 J. Barker Exilius (ed. 2) II. ii. 209 Not only breaking all Respect due to her Sex and Quality, but believing her to entertain a secret Amour; a Thing she detested.
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 354 He believed there were more Wolves a coming.
1787 A. Hawkins tr. V. Mignot Hist. Turkish Empire II. 268 The grand vizier, who admired the valour of this rebel, and who believed him to possess inexhaustible resources, attempted to gain him over.
1806 Emerald 28 June 101/1 It is therefore in vain to attempt to argue men out their senses, or to make them believe themselves happy.
1852 H. Rogers Eclipse of Faith 326 He believes,..that ‘probability is the guide of life’.
1862 H. Spencer First Princ. ii. vi. §66. 238 If men did not believe this in the strict sense of the word..they still believed that they believed it.
1902 G. B. Shaw Mrs. Warren's Profession p. xxix Does anybody who knows the sporting world really believe that bookmakers are worse than their neighbors?
1928 O. Skinner Mad Folk of Theatre iii. 80 Believing him dead, she again married.
1947 C. Gray Contingencies 174 Witness answered that the clothes which she saw were unsoiled and unspotted, and that she believed them to belong to the Duke of Andria, but could not say for certain.
1969 Daily Tel. 31 Oct. 1/4 The judges said they believed it was desirable to have the inquest kept secret .
2008 B. J. Hoff Song of Erin xiii. 73 She might tolerate him well enough at a banquet table; since she, no doubt, believed him to be filthy rich.
b. intransitive. With adverbial and of: to have a particular (good, bad, or other) opinion of a person or thing.to believe meanly of: see meanly adv.2 5.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > evaluation, estimation, appraisal > appraise, estimate [verb (transitive)] > consider to be, account as
telleOE
talec897
seeOE
letc1000
holdc1200
reckon1340
aima1382
accounta1387
counta1387
judgec1390
takea1400
countc1400
receivec1400
existimatec1430
to look on ——?c1430
makec1440
reputea1449
suppose1474
treatc1485
determinea1513
recount?c1525
esteem1526
believe1533
estimate?1533
ascribe1535
consider1539
regard1547
count1553
to look upon ——1553
take1561
reck1567
eye?1593
censure1597
subscribe1600
perhibit1613
behold1642
resent1642
attributea1657
fancy1662
vogue1675
decount1762
to put down1788
to set down1798
rate1854
have1867
mean1878
1533 T. More Debellacyon Salem & Bizance i. xi. f. lxxi I wolde to chose you sholde byleue well of the good man hym selfe.
1595 P. Howard tr. J. J. Lansperger Epist. Christ to Faithfull Soule 88 Beleeue well of my Sacrament..although it bee against thine appetite.
1681 J. Howe Of Charity 33 We should not be over-forward to believe ill of others.
1764 H. Walpole Castle of Otranto 63 For her sake I will believe well of this young peasant.
1833 T. Hook Snowdon x, in Love & Pride III. 127 Can you believe so ill of a daughter of mine..as to imagine she would carry matters so far, so disingenuously?
1988 P. Bacarisse Necessary Dream vi. 156 The only thing Ana simply cannot tolerate is treachery, so she will refuse to believe badly of Pozzi.
2002 K. D. Parhizgar Multicultural Behavior & Global Business Environments vi. 155 People who do not think and believe highly of themselves are likely to be pessimistic about themselves and others.
5. [After classical Latin crēdere alicui.] To trust or accept the assertions or opinions of.
†a. intransitive with to. Obsolete.
ΚΠ
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Royal) (1850) 1 John iv. 1 Nyle ȝe bileue to eche spirit [L. nolite omni spiritui credere].
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) John x. 37 If I do not the workis of my fadir, nyle ȝe bileue to me [so L.V.; Tyndale and later versions, believe me not; L. nolite credere mihi].
a1450 St. Katherine (Richardson 44) (1884) 38 At þe lest byleueth to ȝoure owne goddes [L. diis saltem vestris credite].
1530 N. Love tr. Bonaventura Mirror Life Christ (W. de W.) iii Mary through mekenes byleuynge to the aungell Gabryell.
b. transitive.
ΚΠ
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) Prol. 284 Bot if Gregoire be believed, As it is in the bokes write.
c1440 S. Scrope tr. C. de Pisan Epist. of Othea (St. John's Cambr.) (1970) 98 Troylus..seid þat men should not in counceil of werre beleve olde men ne þere prouerbes.
a1500 (?c1450) Merlin i. 3 Sholde he be bileved of moche peple.
?1530 St. German's Dyaloge Doctoure & Student xv. f. xxxii The thyrde is thorugh pryde, as when he wyll not mekyn hym selfe ne byleue them that be better and wyser then he is.
1611 Bible (King James) Exod. xix. 9 That the people may..beleeue thee for euer. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Comedy of Errors (1623) v. i. 307 You are now bound to beleeue him. View more context for this quotation
1627 T. May tr. Lucan Pharsalia (new ed.) viii. 20 And scarse is he Beleft, relating his owne misery.
1702 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion I. i. 4 A man..who deserves to be beleived.
1757 C. Arnold Poems Several Occasions 203 Bel. Can I believe you? Col. You may, And I'll prove as constant and true as the Day.
1806 J. Davis Post-Captain v. 29 He may tell that to the marines, but the sailors will not believe him.
1859 Ld. Tennyson Enid in Idylls of King 85 I do believe yourself against yourself.
1892 Pop. Sci. Monthly Feb. 453 But for once John Colter told the truth... But no one believed him.
1921 H. J. L. J. Massé Pewter Collector v. 51 Don't believe anyone who tries to sell you pewter at a fancy price on the ground that it is silver pewter.
1967 J. Speight Till Death us do Part: Scripts (1973) 67 Oh Gordon Bennett! Look—what have we got to do to make you believe us?
2008 S. Choi Person of Interest xv. 179 ‘I really want to believe you.’ ‘You should!’
†6. transitive. To expect to do something. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > expect [verb (transitive)] > to do something
thinkOE
trow1340
intendc1374
believea1393
deemc1475
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iii. l. 2222 (MED) With such merci who that believeth To plese god, he is deceived.
c1400 Comm. on Canticles (Bodl. 288) in T. Arnold Sel. Eng. Wks. J. Wyclif (1871) III. 54 (MED) Þou art bileeved to come for to juge at þe laste day.
c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 166 Priam was proude & prestely beleuyt ffor to couer of care thurgh hir kyd helpe.
c1550 in J. G. Dalyell Scotish Poems 16th Cent. (1801) II. 109 Beleuand for to bring vs to despair.
1562 P. Whitehorne tr. N. Machiavelli Arte of Warre vii. f. cviiv There shall neuer bee founde anie good mason, whiche will beleeue to be able to make a faire image of a peece of Marbell ill hewed.
1645 King Charles I Let. 20 Mar. in Kings Cabinet Opened 9 Of this I beleeve, to give thee a perfecter account next weeke.
1659 G. Torriano Florio's Vocabolario Italiano & Inglese Oftentimes who so believes to avoid the smoak fals into the fire.
a1690 R. Barclay Truth Triumphant (1692) 397 Hoping or believing to be made free from sin, hinders praying for forgiveness of sin.
7. To have confidence in or be convinced of the actual existence or occurrence of a thing.
†a. transitive. Chiefly Theology. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > accept as true, believe [verb (transitive)] > in existence of
believe?a1425
think1532
?a1425 (c1400) Mandeville's Trav. (Titus C.xvi) (1919) 144 (MED) Noman wolde beleve the noblesse, the ricchesse, ne the multytude of folk þat ben in his court.
1481 W. Caxton tr. Hist. Reynard Fox (1970) 112 Ther ben many thynges in the world whiche ben byleuyd though they were neuer seen.
1581 W. Goodyear tr. J. de Cartigny Voy. Wandering Knight iii. ii. 94 To beleeue a God, is to beleeue that he is the onely true and almightie God.
1610 J. Healey tr. J. L. Vives in tr. St. Augustine Citie of God xv. vii. 541 Such wicked as beleeue a God.
1659 M. Casaubon in J. Dee True & Faithful Relation Spirits Pref. sig. C3 This will give them no great satisfaction who perchance believe a God (some) as much as they believe a Devil.
1708 J. Swift Sentiments Church of Eng.-man i, in Misc. (1711) 103 Whoever professeth himself a Member of the Church of England, ought to believe a God.
1732 G. Berkeley Alciphron I. v. ii. 270 Shall we believe a God?
1746 Fool (1748) I. 223 One believes a future state..and fears to die.
1794 Deism Disarmed 25 It is my interest to believe a God.
1840 Christian Examiner & Gen. Rev. Jan. 311 The Atheists believe this, for they are willing to believe all things rather than believe a God.
1873 E. F. Hughes Millennium vi. 106 Since the multitude believe a god, And worship one, I let them, but I make Myself that god.
b. intransitive. With in.
ΚΠ
1659 J. Pearson Expos. Apostles Creed 31 I believe in God, that is, I believe that God is.
1716 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 14 Sept. (1965) I. 262 I find that I have..a strong disposition to beleive in miracles.
1749 D. Hartley Observ. Man ii. iii. 347 Unless he be a sincere Deist at least, i.e. unless he believe in the Existence and Attributes of God.
1787 Gentleman's Mag. June 498/1 ‘You, perhaps,’ said he, ‘are so absurd as to believe in ghosts.’
1802 C. Wilmot Irish Peer on Continent (1920) 114 The Friar..believed in the most extravagent miracles.
1858 Eclectic Mag. Aug. 496/2 Why may I not believe in Romulus and Remus, and the gaunt she-wolf of the Tiber, if I like?
1861 C. Darwin Let. 14 Mar. (1994) IX. 54 I believe in Nat. Selection, not because, I can prove in any single case that it has changed one species into another, but because it groups & explains well (as it seems to me) a host of facts in classification, embryology, morphology, rudimentary organs, geological succession & Distribution.
1877 W. Sparrow Serm. xxii. 290 No civilized..nation appears..which did not believe in a God.
1910 New Phytologist 9 334 This resemblance led Miss Sargant to believe in a real genetic connexion between Eranthis and Anemarrhena.
1969 J. Singer et al. tr. I. B. Singer Estate i. ix. 120 ‘You believe in God?’ ‘Absolutely not.’ ‘Then who made this swinish world?’
2007 Vibe July 102/2 Do you believe in reincarnation?

Phrases

P1. to make believe: see make v.1 39d.
P2. In expressions (chiefly colloquial) strengthening an assertion.
a. believe me.
ΚΠ
1576 G. Gascoigne Steele Glas sig. C.jv This is the cause (beleue me now my Lorde) That Realmes do rewe, from high prosperity.
1646 R. Crashaw Steps to Temple 130 The modest front of this small floore, Beleeve mee, Reader, can say more, Then many a braver Marble can.
1743 H. Fielding Jonathan Wild iii. iv, in Misc. III. 208 Believe me, Lad, the Tongue of a Viper is less hurtful than that of a Slanderer.
1790 H. Walpole Let. 11 Dec. (1944) XI. 158 Believe me it is not for my own sake that I desire this.
1820 T. Moore Irish Melodies 51 Believe me, if all those endearing young charms..Were to change by to-morrow [etc.].
1832 C. Dickens Let. 4 Feb. (1965) I. 3 Believe me Yours Truly Charles Dickens.
1918 C. Sandburg Cornhuskers 30 Pike's Peak is a big old stone, believe me.
1957 H. Miller Big Sur & Oranges H. Bosch 351 Believe me, I feel for you. But you must try to do something for yourself.
2000 Diva May 27/1 We had spent a fortune on couples therapy and, believe me, we really worked hard when we were in that room.
b. would you believe it? (see will v.1 31).
ΚΠ
1749 T. Smollett tr. A. R. Le Sage Gil Blas II. ii. vii. 65/1 Meanwhile, (would you believe it?) this ferocious disposition, this haughty woman, is..entirely changed.
1776 H. More Let. (1925) 33 Would you believe it? In the midst of all the pomps and vanities of this wicked town, I have taken it into my head to study like a dragon.
1861 A. Trollope Framley Parsonage II. ii. 35 Now, would you believe it? I have used up three lifts of notepaper already.
1899 J. Conrad Lord Jim in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Dec. 810/2 He set the log for me; he—would you believe it?—he put a drop of oil in it too.
1955 Rotarian Dec. 21/3 Would you believe it, lady, last week one of the biggest stores in the city wouldn't give me as much as a box of colored chalks, but one of the littlest ones let me have 50 dolls at less than they paid for 'em.
2008 P. Hensher Northern Clemency 317 The great tradition of student cooking, passed on from mouth to mouth over the years. I even cooked it for other people, would you believe it?
c. believe it or not.
ΚΠ
1792 W. Cowper Let. 27 June (1984) IV. 135 Believe it or not, as you chuse, The doctrine is certainly true.
1880 Puck (N.Y.) 19 May 190/1 I'm not lodged like an emperor here, as you see—But, believe it or not, I have often fared worse.
1931 L. Steffens Autobiogr. iii. xxxvi. 617 But the only individual he ever exposed was Martin Lomasy, who, believe it or not, was one of the best men I met in Boston.
2002 Top Santé Feb. (Lose a Stone: Exercise booklet) 19/2 Believe it or not, exercise can actually energise you when you're feeling tired.
d. believe you me.
ΚΠ
1808 Eye 27 Oct. 202 Now this was wrong, believe you me.
1877 Catholic World July 450/2 We've not come to the worst yet, believe you me.
1943 ‘E. M. Delafield’ Late & Soon ix. 123 Believe you me, in all the years, and all the adventures I've deliberately sought out..it's never been like this.
2001 J. Boyle Galloway Street 16 No flies on Barney, believe you me.
e. you better believe it and variants.
ΚΠ
1844 N.Y. Herald 17 Nov. 1/4 We beg permission to call the attention of our readers to the following..Liberianisms... You better believe it.
1856 Yale Literary Mag. 21 171 You'd better believe, I'll live in the clover.
1872 O. W. Holmes Poet at Breakfast-table x. 331 My old gentleman means to be Mayor or Governor or President..you'd better b'lieve.
1915 P. Ginther Miss Pat in Old World i. 23 ‘Do you mean it, Norn?’ she asked almost in a whisper. ‘Do you mean that we shall go to Holland?’ ‘You better believe it,’ said Bruce vigorously.
1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 17 Feb. 42 (advt.) You'd better believe it... We've got 'em.
1997 J. Ryan Dismantling Mr Doyle iii. 35 That's how smart Haley was. You better believe it.
2003 Time 28 Apr. 61/2 More than 500,000 women die in the U.S. each year of cardiovascular disease... Women and heart disease? Better believe it.
P3. I believe you: an expression of emphatic or reassuring agreement.I believe you, thousands wouldn't: see thousand n. and adj. 2b.
ΚΠ
a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) I. 151 'By his amyvestyall countenaunce [he] wolde have caused us to have fledde.' 'I beleve you,' seyde the quene.
1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo Ciuile Conuersat. iii. f. 12 Guaz. there are very few in the world, which..assure themselues of their wiues behauiour. Annib. I beleeue you.
1615 T. Dekker Cold Yeare sig. B4v Citt. I haue not heard of a Newes that so deepely hath strucke sorrow into mee. Nor. I beleeue you.
1748 T. Cooke tr. Terence Brothers iv. viii, in Comedies (ed. 2) II. 353 By Hercules I believe you; for I know you to be of a generous Disposition.
1836 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz 1st Ser. I. 175 ‘Were you not a little surprised?’ ‘I b'lieve you!’
1910 R. Kipling Rewards & Fairies 233 ‘The tides run something furious here.’ ‘I believe you,’ said the Archbishop.
1998 R. Stone Damascus Gate xxxv. 276 ‘I could make you happy if you let me,’ she said. ‘I believe you, Sonia.’
P4. don't you believe it: used to assert to another that a preceding statement is untrue: ‘don't be so certain of that.’
ΚΠ
1780 Town & Country Mag. Nov. 585/1 Another set of wiseacres..have a collection of phrases, which they apply indiscriminately to any subject that occurs. ‘I am up to it.’ ‘Let me alone for that.’ ‘Don't you believe it.’
1833 M. Scott Tom Cringle's Log I. xii. 176 ‘Good morning, Lieutenant. I have sent up your breakfast, but you don't seem inclined to eat it.’ ‘Don't you believe it, my dear Obed. I have been sound asleep till this moment.’
1895 G. F. Hall Stud. in Bloomers iii. 77 ‘My people would be delighted to see the pews filled with the poor at every service.’ ‘Don't you believe it, parson,’ said an old washerwoman.
1957 J. Lake & H. Giblo Footlights, Fistfights & Femmes 31 James, you'll hear all over town that I'm a heavy drinker and joy smoker. Don't you believe it!
2005 Daily Tel. 9 Aug. 21/3 ‘I can set you out of here at any moment, laddie,’ the burly barman warned the carousers, as the train pulled out from London. ‘Not until we reach Carlisle,’ one smug youth replied. ‘Don't you believe it,’ came the growled reply.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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