be|lief

be|lief
be|lief «bih LEEF», noun.
1. what is held to be true or real; thing believed; opinion: »

Even after Columbus it was once a common belief that the earth was flat.

2. acceptance as true or real: »

His belief in ghosts makes him afraid of the dark.

3. confidence in any person or thing; faith; trust: »

The judge expressed his belief in the boy's honesty.

SYNONYM(S): reliance.
4. religious faith; creed: »

Most children follow the belief of their parents.

╂[Middle English bileve, earlier bileafe]
Synonym Study 1 Belief, conviction mean what is held true. Belief is the general word, implying acceptance with or without certainty: »

It was once a common belief that the earth is flat.

Conviction implies that the belief is unshakable and undoubting: »

It is my conviction that they are innocent.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Lief — (l[=e]f), a. [Written also {lieve}.] [OE. leef, lef, leof, AS. le[ o]f; akin to OS. liof, OFries. liaf, D. lief, G. lieb, OHG. liob, Icel. lj?fr, Sw. ljuf, Goth. liubs, and E. love. [root]124. See {Love}, and cf. {Believe}, {Leave}, n.,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Lief — Lief, adv. Gladly; willingly; freely; now used only in the phrases, had as lief, and would as lief; as, I had, or would, as lief go as not. [1913 Webster] All women liefest would Be sovereign of man s love. Gower. [1913 Webster] I had as lief the …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Lief — may refer to:* Jacob Lief (21st century), American humanitarian * Lief Larson (born 1975), entrepreneur, futurist and technologist * The lief that you liveee also* Leaf (disambiguation) * Leif …   Wikipedia

  • Lief Newry Fitzroy — Crozier Pour les articles homonymes, voir Crosier. Né le 11 juin 1846, Lief (leif) Newry Fitzroy, dit Crozier, un Canadien d’origine irlandaise, était officier de la police montée du Nord Ouest et aussi officier de milice. Dès son… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • lief — (lièf) s. m. Vieux mot qui signifie l action de lever, la levée d une chose. •   J ai ouï d anciens notaires et greffiers de justice de paix, dire : le lief des scellés pour la levée des scellés, LEGOARANT . ÉTYMOLOGIE    Lever. Formation… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • lief — → laufen * * * lief: ↑ laufen. * * * lief: ↑laufen …   Universal-Lexikon

  • lief — (adj.) O.E. leof dear, valued, beloved, pleasant; also as a noun, a beloved person, friend, from P.Gmc. *leubo (Cf. O.N. ljutr, O.Fris. liaf, Du. lief, O.H.G. liob, Ger. lieb, Goth. liufs dear, beloved ), from PIE root *leubh love (see …   Etymology dictionary

  • Lief — (l[=e]f), n. Same as {Lif}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Lief — Lief, n. A dear one; a sweetheart. [Obs.] Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lief — [Wichtig (Rating 3200 5600)] Auch: • ging • gingst • gingen • liefst • liefen Bsp.: • Abe …   Deutsch Wörterbuch

  • lief — [lēf] adj. [ME lef < OE leof, beloved, dear, akin to Ger lieb < IE base * leubh > LOVE] Archaic 1. valued; dear; beloved 2. willing adv. willingly; gladly: only in would (or had) as lief …   English World dictionary

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