v. Forms: 2–3 bileuen, 4–5 bileue, -leve, -leeve, 4–6 beleue, -leve, 6–7 -leeve, 6– believe. (Also, 3 biliuen, byleuen, 4–5 byleeue, 4–6 byleue, leve, 7 -leeue, -leive.) Pa. t. and pple. believed, occas. in 6–7 beleft (still dial.). (Early ME. bileven, f. bi-, BE- + leven:—OE., Anglian léfan, short. f. ʓeléfan, WSax. ʓelíefan, ʓelýfan, a Common Teut. vb. (in OS. gilôƀian, Du. gelooven, OHG. gilouben, MHG. gelouben, glöuben, mod.G. glauben (earlier glouben, Gothic galaubjan):—OTeut. *galauƀian to believe, probably, ‘to hold estimable, valuable, pleasing, or satisfactory, to be satisfied with,’ f. galaub- ‘dear, pleasing’; cf. Goth. liuban, lauf, lubum, lubans, Teut. root *luƀ-, Aryan lubh-, to hold dear, to like, whence also LOVE, LIEF. The original ʓeléfan, ileven, ILEVE, survived to the 14th c., and the shortened LEVE to the 15th; the present compound, which eventually superseded both, appears in the 12th. The historical form is beleeve. Believe is an erroneous spelling of the 17th c., prob. after relieve (from Fr.). Cf. BELIEF.]
I. intr.
1. To have confidence or faith in (a person), and consequently to rely upon, trust to. Const. in, and (in theological language) on (an obs.); formerly with into, unto, of (rare). On hine ʓelýfan to believe in or on him, was common in OE. No difference can be detected between the use of ‘believe in’ and ‘believe on,’ in the 16th-c. versions of the Scriptures, except that the latter was more frequent; it is now used chiefly (but not exclusively) of ‘saving faith.’
a. To believe in a person (also in Scripture in, or on, his name). [Cf. late L. credere in aliquem.]
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 23. Ich bileue on þe holie gost. Ibid., 19. To bileuen in god.
c. 1205. Lay., 13966. Woden ure lauerd, þe we on bi-liueð.
1340. Ayenb., 12. Ich beleue ine God.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wicket (1828), 16. Into whome ye nowe not seynge bileue. Ibid. (1382), John i. 12. To hem that bileueven in his name [so 1388, Geneva, Rhem.; but Tind. Cranm., 1611 To them that beleeue on his name]. Ibid., viii. 30. Many men bileueden in to him [1388 in hym; Tind., Cranm., Geneva, 1611 on him; Rhem. in him]. Ibid., xiv. 1. Ȝe bileuen in to God, and bileue ȝe in to me [1388, Tind., Cranm., Geneva, Rhem., 1611 in God … in me].
1549. Bk. Com. Prayer, Q vj. I Beleue in God the father almightie, maker of heauen and yearth.
1649. Bp. Reynolds, Hosea, iii. 7. All that should beleeve on him unto eternall life.
1860. Pusey, Min. Proph., 279. To believe God is to believe what God says, to be true. To believe in or on God, expresses not belief only, but that belief resting in God, trusting itself and all its concerns with Him.
b. To believe in a thing, e.g., the truth of a statement or doctrine; also in mod. usage, in the genuineness, virtue or efficacy of a principle, institution or practice.
c. 1250. Lay., 13890. Ȝoure bi-leue Þat ȝeo an bi-lefeþ.
1569. J. Rogers, Gl. Godly Loue, 181. We repent and beleeve in the promise of God in Christ.
1865. Mozley, Mirac., vii. 139. In this sense St. Paul, if I may use the expression, believes in human nature; he thinks it capable of rising to great heights even in this life.
Mod. To believe in universal suffrage, free education, vegetarianism, the college system; colloq. To believe in public schools, in the roast beef of Old England, in bicycles, the telephone, gas, etc.
c. Formerly with of = on, in.
c. 1532. Ld. Berners, Huon (1883), 464. They were al content to leue theyr law and to byleue of Iesu chryst.
1630. Pagitt, Christianogr., I. iii. (1636), 160. They do not well beleeve of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome.
d. absol. To exercise faith.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 598. All þe wallis ben of witte … Boterased with bileue-so-or-þow-beest-nouȝte-ysaved.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 74. Beleue well, and haue well, men say.
1611. Bible, Mark v. 36. Be not afraid, onely beleeue.
1627. Sanderson, 12 Serm. (1637), 252. Who so forward as they to repent, and beleeue, and reforme their liues.
1633. Donne, Poems (1650), 7. I can love … Her who beleeves, and her who tries.
1870. M. Conway, Earthw. Pilgr., xiv. 178. The man who really believes follows that which he believes, fearless of consequences.
e. absol. To think. Cf. 7.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, II. vii. (1840), 160/2. I will not believe so meanly of you.
† 2. To give credence to (a person, or his statement); to trust (from L. credere alicui). Obs. Replaced by 5, 6.
1382. Wyclif, 1 John iv. 1. Nyl ȝee bileue to eche spirit. Ibid., John x. 37. If I do not the workis of my fadir nyle ȝe bileue to me [so 1388; Tindale and later versions, believe me not].
c. 1430. Life St. Kath., xviii. (Gibbs MS.), 71. At þe lest byleueth to ȝoure owne goddes [diis saltem vestris credite].
1530. Love, Bonavent. Mirr. (W. de W.), iii. Mary through mekenes byleuynge to the aungell Gabryell.
1647. W. Browne, Polexander, I. 67. Beleeve lesse to your courage then judgement.
3. ellipt. To believe in (a person or thing), i.e., in its actual existence or occurrence.
1716. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., ix. I. 29. I find that I have … a strong disposition to believe in miracles.
1877. Sparrow, Serm., xxii. 290. No civilized … nation appears … which did not believe in a God.
Mod. To believe in ghosts, in the sea-serpent, in Romulus and Remus.
† 4. To trust, expect, think to do (something). Obs. Cf. BELIEF 5.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XXVII. 10919. Priam was proude, & prestly beleuyt For to couer of care thurgh hir kyd helpe.
c. 1550. Scot. Poems 16th C., II. 109. Beleuand for to bring vs to despair.
1560. Whitehorne, Arte of Warre (1573), 107 b. There shall never bee founde any good mason whiche will beleeve to bee able to make a faire image of a peece of Marbell ill hewed.
II. trans.
5. To give credence to (a person in making statements, etc.). Object orig. dat.: cf. 2.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 13. But if Gregoire be beleved, As it is in the bokes write.
c. 1450. Merlin, 3. Sholde he be bileved of moche peple.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 306. You are now bound to beleeue him.
1611. Bible, Ex. xix. 9. That the people may … beleeue thee for euer.
1627. May, Lucan, VIII. 20. And scarse is he Beleft, relating his owne misery.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. I. 4. A man … who deserves to be beleived.
1859. Tennyson, Enid, 1592. I do believe yourself against yourself.
6. To give credence to, to accept (a statement) as true [cf. L. credere aliquid].
c. 1315. Shoreham, 7. He that bilefeth hit nauȝt.
1340. Ayenb., 151. Huanne me belefþ … al þet God made, zayþ, and hat.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wicket (1828), 6. They make us beleue a false law.
1528. More, Heresyes, I. Wks. 133/1. Ye be so cyrcumspect that ye will nothing beleue without good sufficient & full profe.
1549. Bk. Com. Prayer, Athan. Cr. This is the Catholike faithe: whiche excepte a man beleue faithfully, he cannot be saued.
1627. May, Lucan, VI. 262. Aulus beleft These fained words of his.
1649. Bp. Reynolds, Hosea, ii. 71. Our faith to beleeve Gods promises.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 42. Believing lies Against his Maker.
1741. Watts, Improv. Mind, II. iii. 264. Men cannot believe what they will.
1855. H. Reed, Lect. Eng. Hist., ii. 67. It is … as irrational to believe too little, as to believe too much.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 24. 171. The Guide Chef evidently did not believe a word of it.
† b. To accept (a thing) as authentic. Obs.
1721. Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. I. xv. 118. That these pensions should presently be sent to the hands of the auditors … with strait commandment to believe the same patents immediately.
7. With clause or equivalent inf. phrase: To hold it as true that..., to be of opinion, think.
1297. R. Glouc., 229. Þe heþene Englysse men … Byleuede, þat in heuene Godes hii were bo.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 273. To make us full beleve That he was verray Goddes sone.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge (1848), 32. Who byleveth her chast.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., III. ii. 27. I beleeue I know the cause.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 144. Our Conqu’ror whom I now Of force believe Almighty.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1858), 312. He believed there were more wolves a coming.
1853. H. Rogers, Ecl. Faith, 326. He believes … that ‘probability is the guide of life.’
1862. H. Spencer, First Princ., II. iv. § 52 (1875), 172. If men did not believe this in the strict sense of the word … they still believed that they believed it.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 151. Some one—Critias, I believe—went on to say.
† 8. To hold as true the existence of. Obs. (Now expressed by 3.)
1481. Caxton, Reynard (Arb.), 119. Ther ben many thynges in the world whiche ben byleued though they were neuer seen.
1708. Swift, Sentim. Ch. Eng. Man, Wks. 1755, II. I. 57. Whoever professeth himself a member of the Church of England, ought to believe a God.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., V. § 2. Shall we believe a God?
III. To make believe: to pretend. Subst. make-believe: a pretence; see MAKE.
