belief

belief
be|lief [ bı`lif ] noun ***
count or uncount a strong feeling that something is true or real: CONVICTION:
This theory goes against the beliefs of most current political thinkers.
belief in: a belief in the existence of UFOs
belief that: the mistaken belief that cocaine is not an addictive drug
popular/widely held/widespread belief: There is widespread belief that an agreement has been made.
contrary to popular belief (=although most people think that something is true): Contrary to popular belief, nighttime is actually safer than the day.
firm/strong belief: It is my firm belief that the government should act now.
growing belief: There is a growing belief that she will resign.
a. count or uncount a strong feeling that something is right or good:
belief in: a belief in social justice
belief that: the belief that women should be treated equally
b. count usually plural an idea that you are certain is true, especially involving religion or politics:
Christian/Buddhist beliefs
belief about/concerning: our traditional beliefs about the origins of life
express belief: Everyone is entitled to express their own personal beliefs.
beyond belief
1. ) used for emphasizing how bad something is:
The conditions they are living in are beyond belief.
2. ) extremely surprising or unreasonable, so that you cannot believe it:
His greediness is beyond belief.
in the belief that
because you think that something is true:
She wrote to him in the belief that he would help her.

Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.

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Synonyms:
(the active phase of the fact), , , , , , , / (the passive phase), , , , , / (the thing or things believed), , , , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Belief — is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true. [Citation last = Schwitzgebel first = Eric editor last = Zalta editor first = Edward contribution = Belief title = The Stanford Encyclopedia of… …   Wikipedia

  • Belief — • That state of the mind by which it assents to propositions, not by reason of their intrinsic evidence, but because of authority Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Belief     Belief …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • belief — be·lief n: a degree of conviction of the truth of something esp. based on a consideration or examination of the evidence compare knowledge, suspicion Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • belief — 1 Belief, faith, credence, credit are comparable when they mean the act of one who assents intellectually to something proposed or offered for acceptance as true or the state of mind of one who so assents. Belief is less restricted in its… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Belief — Be*lief , n. [OE. bileafe, bileve; cf. AS. gele[ a]fa. See {Believe}.] 1. Assent to a proposition or affirmation, or the acceptance of a fact, opinion, or assertion as real or true, without immediate personal knowledge; reliance upon word or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • belief — (n.) late 12c., bileave, replacing O.E. geleafa belief, faith, from W.Gmc. *ga laubon to hold dear, esteem, trust (Cf. O.S. gilobo, M.Du. gelove, O.H.G. giloubo, Ger. Glaube), from *galaub dear, esteemed, from intensive prefix *ga + *leubh …   Etymology dictionary

  • belief — ► NOUN 1) a feeling that something exists or is true, especially one without proof. 2) a firmly held opinion. 3) (belief in) trust or confidence in. 4) religious faith. ● beyond belief Cf. ↑beyond belief …   English terms dictionary

  • belief — [bə lēf′, bēlēf′] n. [ME bileve < bi , BE + leve, contr. < ileve < OE geleafa: see BELIEVE] 1. the state of believing; conviction or acceptance that certain things are true or real 2. faith, esp. religious faith 3. trust or confidence [I …   English World dictionary

  • belief — [n1] putting regard in as true acceptance, admission, assent, assumption, assurance, avowal, axiom, certainty, conclusion, confidence, conjecture, conviction, credence, credit, deduction, divination, expectation, faith, fancy, feeling, guess,… …   New thesaurus

  • BELIEF — The Bible In the Bible there are no articles of faith or dogmas in the Christian or Islamic sense of the terms. Although trust in God is regarded as a paramount religious virtue (Gen. 15:6; Isa. 7:9; cf. Job 2:9), there is nowhere in Scripture an …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • belief — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ absolute, deep seated, deeply held, fervent, firm, passionate, profound, strong, strongly held, unshakable, unwavering …   Collocations dictionary

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