Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

4 VERB If you believe in a way of life or an idea, you are in favour of it because you think it is good or right. □ [V + in ] He believed in marital fidelity.

5 VERB If you believe in someone or what they are doing, you have confidence in them and think that they will be successful. □ [V + in ] If you believe in yourself you can succeed.

6 VERB Believe is used in expressions such as I can't believe how or it's hard to believe that in order to express surprise, for example because something bad has happened or something very difficult has been achieved. [FEELINGS ] □ [V wh] Many officers I spoke to found it hard to believe what was happening around them. [Also V that]

7 PHRASE You can use believe it or not to emphasize that what you have just said is surprising. [EMPHASIS ] □  That's normal, believe it or not.

8 PHRASE If you say would you believe it , you are emphasizing your surprise about something. [EMPHASIS ] □  And would you believe it, he's younger than me!

9 PHRASE You can use believe you me to emphasize that what you are saying is true. [EMPHASIS ] □  It's absolutely amazing, believe you me. USAGE believe

Believe is not used in the progressive. Don’t say, for example, ‘ I am believing you ’. Say ‘I believe you’. □  I believe that these findings should be presented to your readers. SYNONYMS believe VERB 1

suppose:The problem was more complex than he supposed.

consider:I had always considered myself a strong, competent woman.

assume:It is a misconception to assume that the two continents are similar.

gather:I gather his report is highly critical of the trial judge.

presume:'Had he been home all week?'—'I presume so.'

be|liev|er /b I liː və ^r / (believers )

1 N‑COUNT [usu adj N ] If you are a great believer in something, you think that it is good, right, or useful. □ [+ in ] Mum was a great believer in herbal medicines.

2 N‑COUNT A believer is someone who is sure that a god exists or that their religion is true. □  I made no secret of the fact that I was not a believer.

be|lit|tle /b I l I t ^ə l/ (belittles , belittling , belittled ) VERB If you belittle someone or something, you say or imply that they are unimportant or not very good. □ [V n] We mustn't belittle her outstanding achievement.

bell ◆◇◇ /be l/ (bells )

1 N‑COUNT A bell is a device that makes a ringing sound and is used to give a signal or to attract people's attention. □  I've been ringing the door bell, there's no answer.

2 N‑COUNT A bell is a hollow metal object shaped like a cup which has a piece hanging inside it that hits the sides and makes a sound. □  Church bells tolled yesterday in remembrance of the five girls who were killed.

3 PHRASE If something is as clear as a bell , it is very clear indeed. □  There are 80 of these pictures and they're all as clear as a bell.

4 PHRASE If you say that something rings a bell , you mean that it reminds you of something, but you cannot remember exactly what it is. [INFORMAL ] □  The description of one of the lads is definitely familiar. It rings a bell.

be ll-bottoms The form bell-bottom is used as a modifier. N‑PLURAL [oft N n] Bell-bottoms are trousers that are very wide at the bottom of the leg, near your feet. □  Flares, loons and bell-bottoms are back. □  …bell-bottom trousers.

bell|boy /be lbɔ I / (bellboys ) N‑COUNT A bellboy is a man or boy who works in a hotel, carrying bags or bringing things to the guests' rooms. [mainly AM ]

belle /be l/ (belles ) N‑COUNT A belle is a beautiful woman, especially the most beautiful woman at a party or in a group. [OLD-FASHIONED ]