something believed; specif a tenet or body of tenets held by a group
conviction of the truth of some a statement or the reality of some a being, thing, or phenomenon, esp when based on examination of evidence
trust or confidence in somebody or something
To believe something is to take it to be true and to use it as a guide to one's actions. Beliefs have generally been thought to be inner states, perhaps present to consciousness, that can be identified through introspection. More recently, the connection between belief and action has been emphasized, especially by economists – beliefs are often just habits of behaviour and expectation which need not be conscious at all — Professor Christopher Hookway
[Middle English beleave, prob alteration of Old English gelēafa]