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believe

KIRU

believe

Pronunciation

IPA: /bɪˈliːv/

Breakdown by Syllable

  • bi: /bɪ/

    • /b/: voiced bilabial stop

    • /ɪ/: short front unrounded vowel

  • lieve: /ˈliːv/

    • /ˈ/: primary stress

    • /l/: alveolar lateral liquid

    • /iː/: long close front unrounded vowel

    • /v/: voiced labiodental fricative

Word Form Variations

Believe is a verb. Its forms are:

Base Form:

  • believe

Present Tense:

  • I believe

  • You believe

  • He/She/It believes

  • We believe

  • You believe

  • They believe

Present Participle:

  • believing

Past Tense:

  • believed

Past Participle:

  • believed

Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms

Verb

  • Definition: To accept something as true or real without proof; to have faith or confidence in something or someone.

    • Synonyms: accept, trust, consider, presume, suppose

    • Antonyms: doubt, disbelieve, question, deny, refute

Noun

  • Definition: A firmly held opinion or conviction.

    • Synonyms: faith, conviction, creed, trust, certainty

    • Antonyms: disbelief, doubt, skepticism, uncertainty, incredulity

Adjective (less common usage)

  • Definition: Showing or characterized by faith or trust.

    • Synonyms: faithful, trusting, confident, assured, convinced

    • Antonyms: doubtful, skeptical, uncertain, distrustful, incredulous

Examples of Use

Verb

  • Books: "I believe in the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity." (Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom)

  • Newspapers: "Many Americans believe that climate change is a serious threat." (The New York Times)

  • Online publications: "We believe in the importance of fact-checking and unbiased reporting." (Politifact)

  • Entertainment: "I believe I can fly!" (Peter Pan)

  • Public discourse: "Do you believe in ghosts?" (Common conversational question)

Noun

  • Books: "His belief in God was the cornerstone of his life." (Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace)

  • Newspapers: "The public's belief in politicians is at an all-time low." (The Washington Post)

  • Online publications: "Belief in conspiracy theories can be harmful to society." (Snopes)

  • Entertainment: "The movie explores the clash of religious beliefs." (The Da Vinci Code)

  • Public discourse: "That's a matter of personal belief." (Common expression)

Adjective (less common)

  • Books: "She had a believe look in her eyes." (Fictional example)

  • Online forums: "That's a believe argument, but I need more evidence." (Online discussion)

  • Public discourse: (Less common in this form)

Note: While "believe" is primarily used as a verb and noun, its adjective form is less frequent.

10 Famous Quotes Using the term Believe

  1. "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." (Martin Luther King Jr.)  

  2. "Believe you can and you're halfway there." (Theodore Roosevelt)

  3. "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." (Eleanor Roosevelt)  

  4. "I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot." (Audrey Hepburn)

  5. "Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle." (Christian Larson)  

  6. "I believe that the only thing that keeps a man going is God, his wife and a good cigar." (Winston Churchill)

  7. "I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, and good things fall apart so better things can fall together." (Marilyn Monroe)  

  8. "Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy." (Norman Vincent Peale)  

  9. "I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge." (Albert Einstein)

  10. "Believe in the power of small actions, for they can ignite a flame that illuminates the world." (Original quote)

Etymology

The word "believe" comes from a very old language called Proto-Germanic. Way back then, people used a word that meant something like "to hold dear" or "to love." Over time, this word changed and spread to different languages.

In English, the word started showing up around the year 1000. It meant something like "to have faith or confidence in someone or something." So, if you believed in your friend, it meant you trusted them.

Basically, the word "believe" has been around for a long time, and it's all about trusting and having faith in things.

Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Believe

Common Phrases

  • Believe it or not

  • Believe in something/someone

  • Can't believe my eyes/ears

  • Lead someone to believe

  • Make believe

  • Don't believe a word/everything you hear

Less Common Phrases

  • To be a believer (in something)

  • To have blind belief

  • To take someone at their word (similar to believe)

  • To suspend disbelief (often used in theater or storytelling)

Original Phrases

  • To plant a seed of belief

  • A belief system

  • To foster belief

Note: While there aren't many complex idioms specifically using "believe," the word is often part of longer, more complex expressions. The core meaning of "believe" - to have faith or confidence - is often conveyed through synonyms or related words in idiomatic expressions.

For example, the idiom "take someone at their word" is similar to "believe someone," and "to suspend disbelief" is related to the concept of temporarily accepting something as true for the sake of enjoyment or understanding.

Posts Related to Believe

Source Information

Definition of believe from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.