word-vault

{ "term": "believe", "partOfSpeech": "verb", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "a1", "verbForms": { "presentSimple": { "iYouWeThey": "believe", "heSheIt": "believes" }, "pastSimple": "believed", "pastParticiple": "believed", "ingForm": "believing" }, "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "to feel certain that something is true or that somebody is telling you the truth", "sensetop": "believe somebodybelieve somethingbelieve (that)…", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "I don't believe you!", "contextForm": "believe somebody" }, { "text": "The man claimed to be a social worker and she believed him." }, { "text": "Do you **really believe** her?" }, { "text": "Believe me, she's not right for you." }, { "text": "I believed their lies for years.", "contextForm": "believe something" }, { "text": "I find that **hard to believe**." }, { "text": "**Don't believe a word of it** *(= don't believe any part of what somebody is saying)*." }, { "text": "People used to believe (that) the earth was flat.", "contextForm": "believe (that)…" }, { "text": "He refused to believe (that) his son was involved in drugs." }, { "text": "**I do believe** you’re right *(= I think something is true, even though it is surprising)*." }, { "text": "I'm inclined to believe you." }, { "text": "It's hard to believe that this campaign has been going on for ten years." }, { "text": "It was generally believed that evil spirits lived in the forest." }, { "text": "The ad led us to believe (= made us think) that all prices had been cut." } ], "topics": ["Doubt, guessing and certainty"], "collocations": { "adverb": ["deeply", "fervently", "firmly"], "verb + believe": ["cannot", "be hard to", "give somebody to"], "phrases": [ "can hardly believe something", "can scarcely believe something", "not believe a word of something" ] } }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "to think that something is true or possible, although you are not completely certain", "sensetop": "believe (that)…it is believed (that)…believe somethingbe believed to be, have, etc. somethingbe believed + adj.", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "‘Where does she come from?’ ‘Spain, I believe.’" }, { "text": "‘Does he still work there?’ ‘I **believe so/not**.’" }, { "text": "Police believe (that) the man may be armed.", "contextForm": "believe (that)…" }, { "text": "Experts believe that the diamond is the only one of its kind." }, { "text": "l **firmly believe** that they are still alive." }, { "text": "There is no **reason to believe** he is dangerous." }, { "text": "It is believed that the couple have left the country.", "contextForm": "it is believed (that)…" }, { "text": "It is **widely believed** that he was forced to resign." }, { "text": "Few people believe the claim that the cost of living has not risen since last year.", "contextForm": "believe something" }, { "text": "The vases are believed to be worth over $20 000 each.", "contextForm": "be believed to be, have, etc. something" }, { "text": "Three sailors are missing, believed drowned.", "contextForm": "be believed + adj." }, { "text": "We have reason to believe that the escaped prisoner may be hiding in this house." }, { "text": "No one seriously believes that this war will happen." }, { "text": "Paul says he's happy, but his mother believes otherwise." } ], "topics": ["Opinion and argument", "Doubt, guessing and certainty"] }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "to have the opinion that something is right or true", "sensetop": "believe (that)…", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "The party believes (that) education is the most important issue facing the government." }, { "text": "She believes that killing animals for food or fur is completely immoral." }, { "text": "I **strongly believe** that competition is a good thing." }, { "text": "She **truly believes** that love can change the world." }, { "text": "I personally believe that it's important." }, { "text": "I've long believed that a good reputation is the most valuable asset you can have in business." }, { "text": "I believe that we have a responsibility towards the less fortunate in society." } ], "topics": ["Opinion and argument"], "collocations": { "adverb": ["deeply", "fervently", "firmly"], "verb + believe": ["cannot", "be hard to", "give somebody to"], "phrases": [ "can hardly believe something", "can scarcely believe something", "not believe a word of something" ] } }, { "senseNumber": 4, "definition": "used to say that you are surprised or annoyed at something", "sensetop": "don’t/can’t believebelieve (that)…believe how, what, etc…", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "She couldn’t believe (that) it was all happening again.", "contextForm": "believe (that)…" }, { "text": "I don't believe I'm doing this!" }, { "text": "I can't believe how much better I feel.", "contextForm": "believe how, what, etc…" }, { "text": "I couldn't believe what I was hearing." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["deeply", "fervently", "firmly"], "verb + believe": ["cannot", "be hard to", "give somebody to"], "phrases": [ "can hardly believe something", "can scarcely believe something", "not believe a word of something" ] } }, { "senseNumber": 5, "definition": "to have a religious faith", "cefr": "a1", "examples": [ { "text": "The god appears only to those who believe." } ], "topics": ["Religion and festivals"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to introduce information that is true but that may surprise people", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "Believe it or not, he asked me to marry him!" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to emphasize that you strongly believe what you are saying", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "You haven't heard the last of this, believe you me!" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to tell somebody that something is definitely not true", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "‘She wouldn’t do a thing like that.’ ‘Don’t you believe it!’" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to make somebody believe/understand something", "labels": "(formal)", "examples": [ { "text": "I was given to understand that she had resigned." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to say that you are surprised or annoyed about something", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "I don't believe it! What are you doing here?" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to say that you think somebody is stupid if they believe that something is true", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "‘He promised not to do it again.’ ‘Sure, and if you believe that, you’ll believe anything.’" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to pretend that something is true", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be very surprised at something you hear/see", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "I couldn't believe my eyes when she walked in." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to say that somebody will have to believe that something is true when they see it, although they do not think it is true now", "labels": "(saying)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to show that you are surprised and annoyed about something", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "And, would you believe, they didn't even apologize!" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to tell somebody that something is definitely true", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "‘He’s not a bad player, is he?’ ‘You’d better believe it!’" } ] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/bɪˈliːv/", "audio": "be/believe/believe__gb_2.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/bɪˈliːvz/", "audio": "be/believe/believes__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/bɪˈliːvd/", "audio": "be/believe/believed__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/bɪˈliːvɪŋ/", "audio": "be/believe/believing__gb_1.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/bɪˈliːv/", "audio": "be/believe/believe__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/bɪˈliːvz/", "audio": "be/believe/believes__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/bɪˈliːvd/", "audio": "be/believe/believed__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/bɪˈliːvɪŋ/", "audio": "be/believe/believing__us_1.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "late Old English belȳfan, belēfan, alteration of gelēfan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch geloven and German glauben." }