believe English · revision 2040

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1000 (Ælfric)|origins=ine-pro *leubh-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bɪˈliːv/, /bə-/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|bileven]], later [[m|enm|beleven]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) [[inh|ang|belȳfan]] or [[m|ang|belēfan|t=to have faith in, believe]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) which replaced older [[m|ang|gelēfan]] (Mercian) and [[m|ang|gelȳfan]] (West Saxon) by a change of prefix from [[m|ang|ge-]] to [[m|ang|be-]].^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002)^(Barnhart 1988) These come from [[gem-pro|*ga-laubjan|t=to believe]],^(Etymonline) perhaps literally “to hold dear, find satisfactory”,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) and are cognate with [[osx|gilōbian]], [[nl|geloven]], [[goh|gilouben]] (modern [[de|glauben]]) and [[got|𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌿𐌱𐌾𐌰𐌽|tr=galaubjan]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The root is [[ine-pro|*leubh-|t=to care, desire, love]], the source also of [[love]], [[lief]] and [[belief]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To have faith or confidence in a person: Old English ''belȳfan'' is recorded about 1000, in the works of Ælfric.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “To be persuaded of the truth of (a doctrine or religion)” is mid-13th century,^(Etymonline) “to think, suppose” about 1300, and “to accept as true on someone's authority or testimony” early 14th century.^(Etymonline) Barnhart's Middle English examples include ''bileven'' in ''King Horn'' (1225), ''beleven'' in Chaucer (about 1386) and ''believen'' in Gower (before 1393).^(Barnhart 1988) The spelling ''beleeve'' was usual until the 17th century, when it changed, perhaps under the influence of ''relieve''.^(Etymonline) ''Believe on'', more common than ''believe in'' during the 16th century, now survives mainly in theology.^(Etymonline) ''Believe it or not'' is attested by 1874 and became the title of Robert Ripley's newspaper cartoon in 1918,^(Etymonline) and emphatic ''you better believe'' dates from 1854.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – Old English ''belȳfan'' (Ælfric).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1225 – ''bileven'' (''King Horn'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * mid-13th century – to be persuaded of the truth of a doctrine.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1300 – to think, suppose.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 14th century – to accept as true on testimony.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1386 – ''beleven'' (Chaucer).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1393 – ''believen'' (Gower).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1854 – ''you better believe''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1874 – ''believe it or not''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To accept as true or real: ''I believe his story''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To accept the word of (a person) as true.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To think or suppose: ''I believe she has left''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''believe in'': to be convinced of the existence or truth of: ''believe in ghosts''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To have religious [[faith]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''believe in'': to have confidence in the worth of: ''believe in hard work''.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[believer]]

+ * [[believability]]

+ * [[believable]]

+ * [[believably]]

+ * [[believingly]]

+ * [[misbelieve]]

+ * [[disbelieve]]

+ * [[unbelievable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[belief]]

+ * [[disbelief]]

+ * [[lief]]

+ * [[love]]

+ * [[make-believe]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}