Confidence
WordNet
noun
(1) Freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
"His assurance in his superiority did not make him popular"
"After that failure he lost his confidence"
"She spoke with authority"
(2) A secret that is confided or entrusted to another
"Everyone trusted him with their confidences"
"The priest could not reveal her confidences"
(3) A feeling of trust (in someone or something)
"I have confidence in our team"
"Confidence is always borrowed, never owned"
(4) A trustful relationship
"He took me into his confidence"
"He betrayed their trust"
(5) A state of confident hopefulness that events will be favorable
"Public confidence in the economy"
WiktionaryText
Etymology
Latin confidentia > confidere > con- + fidere > fides
Noun
- Self-assurance.
- Expression or feeling of certainty.
- The quality of trusting.
- Information held in secret.
Quotations
- 1956 — Arthur C. Clarke, The City and the Stars, p 39
- Khedron hesitated for a moment, wondering how far he should take Jeserac into his confidence. He knew that Jeserac was kindly and well-intentioned, but he also knew that he must be bound by the same taboos that controlled everyone on Diaspar.
Related terms
- confidant
- confidante
- confident
- confidential
- self-confidence