Believe - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Definition of BELIEVE
intransitive verb
1
a: to have a firm religious faith
b: to accept something as true,
genuine, or real <ideals we
believe in> <
believes in ghosts>
2
: to have a firm conviction as to the goodness,
efficacy, or ability of something <
believe in exercise>
3
: to hold an opinion
: think <I
believe so>
transitive verb
1
a: to consider to be true or honest <
believe the reports> <you wouldn't
believe how long it took>
b: to accept the word or evidence of <I
believe you> <couldn't
believe my ears>
2
: to hold as an opinion
: suppose <I
believe it will rain soon>
—
be·liev·ernoun
—
not believe
: to be astounded at <I could
n't believe my luck>
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Examples of BELIEVE
- The scientists believed the reports.
- Many people seem to believe that theory, but I find it hard to believe.
- You shouldn't believe everything you read.
- He says he'll help us, but I don't believe what he says.
- They were tricked into believing that he was a doctor.
- He says he'll help us, but I don't believe him.
- She went to church because her family expected it, but she didn't really believe.
- I have watched the many ways that teachers demonstrate pleasure in what students have said or done. I used to believe that teachers needed to present a stoic face for fear of losing control—as if smiling caused bad behavior. —Nancy Mack, English Journal, September 2008
Fairy tale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A
fairy tale (pronounced /ˈfeəriˌteɪl/) is a type of short story that typically features
folkloric fantasy characters, such as
fairies,
goblins,
elves,
trolls,
dwarves,
giants,
mermaids or
gnomes, and usually
magic or
enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies. The stories may nonetheless be distinguished from other folk narratives such as
legends (which generally involve belief in the veracity of the events described)[SUP]
[1][/SUP] and explicitly moral tales, including beast fables.
In less technical contexts, the term is also used to describe something blessed with unusual happiness, as in "fairy tale ending" (a
happy ending)[SUP]
[2][/SUP] or "fairy tale
romance" (though not all fairy tales end happily). Colloquially, a "fairy tale" or "
fairy story" can also mean any far-fetched story or
tall tale; it's used especially of any story that not only isn't true, but couldn't possibly be true.
In cultures where
demons and
witches are perceived as real, fairy tales may merge into
legends, where the narrative is perceived both by teller and hearers as being grounded in historical truth. However, unlike
legends and
epics, they usually do not contain more than superficial references to
religion and actual places, people, and events; they take place
once upon a time rather than in actual times.[SUP]
[3][/SUP]
Fairy tales are found in oral and in literary form. The history of the fairy tale is particularly difficult to trace because only the literary forms can survive. Still, the evidence of literary works at least indicates that fairy tales have existed for thousands of years, although not perhaps recognized as a
genre; the name "fairy tale" was first ascribed to them by
Madame d'Aulnoy in the late 17th century. Many of today's fairy tales have evolved from centuries-old stories that have appeared, with variations, in multiple cultures around the world.[SUP]
[4][/SUP] Fairy tales, and works derived from fairy tales, are still written today.
People whose brains have more backbone than a jellyfish don't have to make up the stuff that LRL'ers post, the LRL'ers do it themselves without any prodding.
That’ s your right to believe in fairy tales...Art