Part 1026

<hw>Be*lief"ful</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Having belief or faith.</def>

<h1>Believable</h1> <Xpage=134>

<hw>Be*liev"a*ble</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Capable of being believed; credible.</def> -- <wordforms><wf>Be*liev"a*ble*ness</wf>, <tt>n.</tt> -- <wf>Be*liev`a*bil"i*ty</wf> <tt>(<?/)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt></wordforms>

<h1>Believe</h1> <Xpage=134>

<hw>Be*lieve"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Believed</er> <tt>(#)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Believing</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>bileven</ets> (with pref. <ets>be-</ets> for AS. <ets>ge-</ets>), fr. AS. <ets>gel<?/fan</ets>, <ets>gel<?/fan</ets>; akin to D. <ets>gelooven</ets>, OHG. <ets>gilouban</ets>, G. <ets>glauben</ets>, OS. <ets>gil<?/bian</ets>, Goth. <ets>galaubjan</ets>, and Goth. <ets>liubs</ets> dear. See <er>Lief</er>, <tt>a.</tt>, <er>Leave</er>, <tt>n.</tt>]</ety> <def>To exercise belief in; to credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of, upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by circumstances other than personal knowledge; to regard or accept as true; to place confidence in; to think; to consider; <as>as, to <ex>believe</ex> a person, a statement, or a doctrine</as>.</def>

<blockquote>Our conqueror (whom I now Of force <b>believe</b> almighty). <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>King Agrippa, <b>believest</b> thou the prophets ? <i>Acts xxvi.<?/7.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Often followed by a dependent clause. I <b>believe</b> that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. <i>Acts viii. 37.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- See <er>Expect</er>.</syn>

<h1>Believe</h1> <Xpage=134>

<hw>Be*lieve"</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To have a firm persuasion, esp. of the truths of religion; to have a persuasion approaching to certainty; to exercise belief or faith.</def>

<blockquote>Lord, I <b>believe</b>; help thou mine unbelief. <i>Mark ix. 24.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>With the heart man <b>believeth</b> unto righteousness. <i>Rom. x. 10.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To think; to suppose.</def>

<blockquote>I will not <b>believe</b> so meanly of you. <i>Fielding.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>To believe in</col>. <sd>(a)</sd> <cd>To believe that the subject of the thought (if a person or thing) exists, or (if an event) that it has occurred, or will occur; -- as, to <i>believe in<i> the resurrection of the dead.</cd> "She does not <i>believe in<i> Jupiter." <i>J. H. Newman</i>. <sd>(b)</sd> <cd>To believe that the character, abilities, and purposes of a person are worthy of entire confidence; -- especially that his promises are wholly trustworthy.</cd> "Let not your heart be troubled: ye <i>believe in<i> God, <i>believe<i> also <i>in<i> me." <i>John xiv. 1</i>. <sd>(c)</sd> <cd>To believe that the qualities or effects of an action or state are beneficial: as, to <i>believe in<i> sea bathing, or <i>in<i> abstinence from alcoholic beverages.</cd> -- <col>To believe on</col>, <cd>to accept implicitly as an object of religious trust or obedience; to have faith in.</cd></cs>

<h1>Believer</h1> <Xpage=134>

<hw>Be*liev"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>One who believes; one who is persuaded of the truth or reality of some doctrine, person, or thing.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Theol.)</fld> <def>One who gives credit to the truth of the Scriptures, as a revelation from God; a Christian; -- in a more restricted sense, one who receives Christ as his Savior, and accepts the way of salvation unfolded in the gospel.</def>

<blockquote>Thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all <b>believers</b>. <i> Book of Com. Prayer.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Eccl. Hist.)</fld> <def>One who was admitted to all the rights of divine worship and instructed in all the mysteries of the Christian religion, in distinction from a catechumen, or one yet under instruction.</def>

<h1>Believing</h1> <Xpage=134>

<hw>Be*liev"ing</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>That believes; having belief.</def> -- <wordforms><wf>Be*liev"ing*ly</wf>, <tt>adv.</tt></wordforms>

<h1>Belight</h1> <Xpage=134>

<hw>Be*light"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To illuminate.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Cowley.</i>

<h1>Belike</h1> <Xpage=134>

<hw>Be*like"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>adv.</tt> <ety>[Pref. <ets>be-</ets> (for <ets>by</ets>) + <ets>like</ets>.]</ety> <def>It is likely or probably; perhaps.</def> <mark>[Obs. or Archaic]</mark> -- <wordforms><wf>Be*like"ly</wf>, <tt>adv.</tt></wordforms>