confidence: Meaning and Definition of
con•fi•dence
Pronunciation: (kon'fi-duns), [key]
— n.
- full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing: We have every confidence in their ability to succeed.
- belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance: His lack of confidence defeated him.
- certitude; assurance: He described the situation with such confidence that the audience believed him completely.
- a confidential communication: to exchange confidences.
- (esp. in European politics) the wish to retain an incumbent government in office, as shown by a vote in a particular issue: a vote of confidence.
- presumption; impudence: Her disdainful look crushed the confidence of the brash young man.
- something that gives confidence; ground of trust.
- as a secret or private matter, not to be divulged or communicated to others; with belief in a person's sense of discretion: I told him in confidence.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.