DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan
Con·fi·dence n.
1. The act of confiding, trusting, or putting faith in; trust; reliance; belief; -- formerly followed by of, now commonly by in.
Society is built upon trust, and trust upon confidence of one another's integrity. --South.
A cheerful confidence in the mercy of God. --Macaulay.
2. That in which faith is put or reliance had.
The Lord shall be thy confidence. --Prov. iii. 26.
3. The state of mind characterized by one's reliance on himself, or his circumstances; a feeling of self-sufficiency; such assurance as leads to a feeling of security; self-reliance; -- often with self prefixed.
Your wisdom is consumed in confidence;
Do not go forth to-day. --Shak.
But confidence then bore thee on secure
Either to meet no danger, or to find
Matter of glorious trial. --Milton.
4. Private conversation; (pl.) secrets shared; as, there were confidences between them.
Sir, I desire some confidence with you. --Shak.
Confidence game, any swindling operation in which advantage is taken of the confidence reposed by the victim in the swindler; several swindlers often work together to create the illusion of truth; -- also called con game.
Confidence man, a swindler.
To take into one's confidence, to admit to a knowledge of one's feelings, purposes, or affairs.
Syn: -- Trust; assurance; expectation; hope.
I am confident that very much be done. --Boyle.
2. Trustful; without fear or suspicion; frank; unreserved.
Be confident to speak, Northumberland;
We three are but thyself. --Shak.
3. Having self-reliance; bold; undaunted.
As confident as is the falcon's flight
Against a bird, do I with Mowbray fight. --Shak.
4. Having an excess of assurance; bold to a fault; dogmatical; impudent; presumptuous.
The fool rageth and is confident. --Prov. xiv. 16.
5. Giving occasion for confidence. [R.]
The cause was more confident than the event was prosperous. --Jer. Taylor.
◄ ►
confidence man
n : a swindler who exploits the confidence of his victim [syn: con
man, con artist]