*fide*

‖ [ L. ] Good faith; honesty; freedom from fraud or deception. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖ A sofa having a seat at each end at right angles to the main seats. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Confided; p. pr. & vb. n. Confiding. ] [ L. confidere; con- + fidere to trust. See Faith, and cf. Affiance. ] To put faith (in); to repose confidence; to trust; -- usually followed by in; as, the prince confides in his ministers. [ 1913 Webster ]

By thy command I rise or fall,
In thy protection I confide. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

Judge before friendships, then confide till death. Young. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To intrust; to give in charge; to commit to one's keeping; -- followed by to. [ 1913 Webster ]

Congress may . . . confide to the Circuit jurisdiction of all offenses against the United States. Story. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. confidentia firm trust in, self-confidence: cf. F. confidence. ] 1. The act of confiding, trusting, or putting faith in; trust; reliance; belief; -- formerly followed by of, now commonly by in. [ 1913 Webster ]

Society is built upon trust, and trust upon confidence of one another's integrity. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

A cheerful confidence in the mercy of God. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That in which faith is put or reliance had. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Lord shall be thy confidence. Prov. iii. 26. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Your wisdom is consumed in confidence;
Do not go forth to-day. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

But confidence then bore thee on secure
Either to meet no danger, or to find
Matter of glorious trial. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Private conversation; (pl.) secrets shared; as, there were confidences between them. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sir, I desire some confidence with you. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am confident that very much be done. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Trustful; without fear or suspicion; frank; unreserved. [ 1913 Webster ]

Be confident to speak, Northumberland;
We three are but thyself. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Having self-reliance; bold; undaunted. [ 1913 Webster ]

As confident as is the falcon's flight
Against a bird, do I with Mowbray fight. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Having an excess of assurance; bold to a fault; dogmatical; impudent; presumptuous. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fool rageth and is confident. Prov. xiv. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Giving occasion for confidence. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The cause was more confident than the event was prosperous. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Confidant. South. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. confidentiel. ] 1. Enjoying, or treated with, confidence; trusted in; trustworthy; as, a confidential servant or clerk. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Communicated in confidence; secret. “Confidential messages.” Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Confidential communication (Law) See Privileged communication, under Privileged. --
Confidential creditors, those whose claims are of such a character that they are entitled to be paid before other creditors. --
Confidential debts, debts incurred for borrowed money, and regarded as having a claim to be paid before other debts. McElrath. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the state or attribute of being secret; privacy; as, you must respect the confidentiality of your client's communications. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

2. discretion in keeping secret information. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. In confidence; in reliance on secrecy. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With confidence; with strong assurance; positively. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being confident. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who confides. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ L. diffidere. See Diffident. ] To be distrustful. [ Obs. ] Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. diffidentia. ] 1. The state of being diffident; distrust; want of confidence; doubt of the power, ability, or disposition of others. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

That affliction grew heavy upon me, and weighed me down even to a diffidence of God's mercy. Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Distrust of one's self or one's own powers; lack of self-reliance; modesty; modest reserve; bashfulness. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is good to speak on such questions with diffidence. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

An Englishman's habitual diffidence and awkwardness of address. W. Irving.

Syn. -- Humility; bashfulness; distrust; suspicion; doubt; fear; timidity; apprehension; hesitation. See Humility, and Bashfulness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Diffidence. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. diffidens, -entis, p. pr. of diffidere; dif- = dis + fidere to trust; akin to fides faith. See Faith, and cf. Defy. ] 1. Wanting confidence in others; distrustful. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

You were always extremely diffident of their success. Melmoth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Wanting confidence in one's self; distrustful of one's own powers; not self-reliant; timid; modest; bashful; characterized by modest reserve. [ 1913 Webster ]

The diffident maidens,
Folding their hands in prayer. Longfellow.

Syn. -- Distrustful; suspicious; hesitating; doubtful; modest; bashful; lowly; reserved. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a diffident manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

To stand diffidently against each other with their thoughts in battle array. Hobbes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. fidejussio, from fidejubere to be surety or bail; fides faith + jubere to order: cf. F. fidéjussion. ] (Civil Law) The act or state of being bound as surety for another; suretyship. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L.: cf. F. fidéjusseur. ] (Civil Law) A surety; one bound for another, conjointly with him; a guarantor. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. fidelitas: cf. F. fidélité. See Fealty. ] Faithfulness; adherence to right; careful and exact observance of duty, or discharge of obligations. Especially: (a) Adherence to a person or party to which one is bound; loyalty. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whose courageous fidelity was proof to all danger. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

The best security for the fidelity of men is to make interest coincide with duty. A. Hamilton.

(b) Adherence to the marriage contract. (c) Adherence to truth; veracity; honesty. [ 1913 Webster ]

The principal thing required in a witness is fidelity. Hooker.

Syn. -- Faithfulness; honesty; integrity; faith; loyalty; fealty. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., faith. ] (Roman Muth.) Faith personified as a goddess; the goddess of faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. infidelis; pref. in- not + fidelis faithful, fr. fides faith: cf. F. infidèle. See Fidelity. ] Not holding the faith; -- applied by Christians to one who does not believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures, and the supernatural origin of Christianity; used by Muslims to refer to those who do not believe in Islam. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

The infidel writer is a great enemy to society. V. Knox. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who does not believe in the prevailing religious faith; a heathen; a freethinker; -- used especially by Christians and Muslims. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

☞ Infidel is used by English writers to translate the equivalent word used Muslims in speaking of Christians and other disbelievers in Muslimism.

Syn. -- Infidel, Unbeliever, Freethinker, Deist, Atheist, Sceptic, Agnostic. An infidel, in common usage, is one who denies Christianity and the truth of the Scriptures. Some have endeavored to widen the sense of infidel so as to embrace atheism and every form of unbelief; but this use does not generally prevail. A freethinker is now only another name for an infidel. An unbeliever is not necessarily a disbeliever or infidel, because he may still be inquiring after evidence to satisfy his mind; the word, however, is more commonly used in the extreme sense. A deist believes in one God and a divine providence, but rejects revelation. An atheist denies the being of God. A sceptic is one whose faith in the credibility of evidence is weakened or destroyed, so that religion, to the same extent, has no practical hold on his mind. An agnostic remains in a state of suspended judgment, neither affirming nor denying the existence of a personal Deity. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Infidelities [ L. infidelitas: cf. F. infidélité. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Lack of faith or belief in some religious system; especially, a lack of faith in, or disbelief of, the inspiration of the Scriptures, of the divine origin of Christianity. [ 1913 Webster ]

There is, indeed, no doubt but that vanity is one of the principal causes of infidelity. V. Knox. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Unfaithfulness to the marriage vow or contract; violation of the marriage covenant by adultery. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Breach of trust; unfaithfulness to a charge, or to moral obligation; treachery; deceit; as, the infidelity of a servant. “The infidelity of friends.” Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a mistaken confidence; wrongly trusting. [ R. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Excessive confidence; too great reliance or trust. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Confident to excess. -- O"ver*con"fi*dent*ly, adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being prefident. [ Obs. ] Baxter. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. L. praefidens overconfident. See Pre-, and Confident. ] Trusting beforehand; hence, overconfident. [ Obs. ] Baxter. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being self-confident; self-reliance. [ 1913 Webster ]

A feeling of self-confidence which supported and sustained him. Beaconsfield. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Confident of one's own strength or powers; relying on one's judgment or ability; self-reliant. -- Self`-con"fi*dent*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]