believe

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To accept that something is true.

   I can hardly believe what you're telling me.

2. 2
   verb

   To accept that someone is telling the truth.

   Why did I ever believe you?

3. 3
   verb

   To think or have an opinion about something.

   I believe it's going to rain later.

4. 4
   verb

   To have religious faith.

   After that night in the church, he believed.

Common collocations

• believe in Verb + preposition/particle

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *laubō Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Germanic *-janą Proto-Germanic *laubijaną Proto-West Germanic *laubijan Proto-West Germanic *bilaubijan Old English belīefan Middle English bileven English believe From Middle English beleven, bileven, from Old English belīefan (“to believe”), from Proto-West Germanic *bilaubijan (“to believe”), equivalent to…

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