belief

Everyday

1. A belief is something you think is true, even if you cannot prove it («a belief that ghosts exist»). tree →
2. Belief is the feeling of being sure that something is true or real. tree →
3. Belief in someone is trust and confidence in them («Her belief in me helped me win»). tree →
4. A belief is also a religious or moral idea a person holds («religious beliefs»). tree →

In the lessons

In RE and PSHE pupils learn that people have different beliefs, and we respect others' beliefs even when we disagree. In science pupils learn to tell beliefs from facts that can be tested with evidence. In stories, belief in oneself helps heroes succeed. Phrases: «belief in», «beyond belief» (amazing or shocking), «religious beliefs», «self-belief».

Examples

• People hold many different beliefs. tree →
• It is a common belief that goldfish have a three-second memory, but it is wrong. tree →
• Her belief in herself helped her finish the race. tree →
• We should respect other people's beliefs. tree →
• The view from the mountain was beautiful beyond belief. tree →
• Long ago, there was a belief that the Earth was flat. tree →
• Scientists test a belief with experiments. tree →
• He has a strong belief in being fair. tree →

Note

Plural «beliefs» (not «believes»). Spelling trap: noun «belief» (f), verb «believe» (v). «Belief in» someone or something. «i before e except after c» works here: bel-i-e-f.

In Jewish tradition

In this text it means what people think is true, here about the letters of the alphabet.

Interpretation. The Sefer Yetzirah teaches that God made the world with thirty-two paths of wisdom: the ten numbers (sefirot) and the twenty-two letters.

Examples

• In accordance with the belief of the ancients that the letters are of divine origin, the Sefer Yetzirah explains that the thirty-two ways of wisdom were ordained by God through: (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →

Note

Plural «beliefs» (not «believes»). Spelling trap: noun «belief» (f), verb «believe» (v). «Belief in» someone or something. «i before e except after c» works here: bel-i-e-f.