/ ˈkɒnfɪdəns; NAmE ˈkɑːn-/ noun
BELIEF IN OTHERS
1.
[ U ] confidence (in sb/sth) the feeling that you can trust, believe in and be sure about the abilities or good qualities of sb/sth :
The players all have confidence in their manager.
A fall in unemployment will help to restore consumer confidence.
a lack of confidence in the government
The new contracts have undermined the confidence of employees.
She has every confidence in her students' abilities.
—see also vote of confidence , vote of no confidence
BELIEF IN YOURSELF
2.
[ U ] a belief in your own ability to do things and be successful :
He answered the questions with confidence .
People often lose confidence when they are criticized.
He gained confidence when he went to college.
She suffers from a lack of confidence .
While girls lack confidence , boys often overestimate their abilities.
I didn't have any confidence in myself at school.
FEELING CERTAIN
3.
[ U ] the feeling that you are certain about sth :
They could not say with confidence that he would be able to walk again after the accident.
He expressed his confidence that they would win.
TRUST
4.
[ U ] a feeling of trust that sb will keep information private :
Eva told me about their relationship in confidence .
This is in the strictest confidence .
It took a long time to gain her confidence (= make her feel she could trust me) .
A SECRET
5.
[ C ] ( formal ) a secret that you tell sb :
The girls exchanged confidences.
I could never forgive Mike for betraying a confidence.
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IDIOMS
- be in sb's confidence
- take sb into your confidence
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin confidentia , from confidere have full trust, from con- (expressing intensive force) + fidere trust.