be·lieve / biˈlēv/ • v. [tr.] 1. accept (something) as true; feel sure of the truth of: the superintendent believed Lancaster's story Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead. ∎  accept the statement of (someone) as true: he didn't believe her or didn't want to know. ∎  [intr.] have faith, esp. religious faith: there are those on the fringes of the Church who do not really believe. ∎  (believe something of someone) feel sure that (someone) is capable of a particular action: I wouldn't have believed it of Lois—what an extraordinary woman!2. hold (something) as an opinion; think or suppose: I believe we've already met things were not as bad as the experts believed humu-humu are, I believe, shrimp fritters (believe someone/something to be) four men were believed to be trapped. PHRASES: be unable (or hardly able) to believe something be amazed by something: I couldn't believe what was happening Clarke could hardly believe his luck as he put the ball into the empty net.believe it or not used to concede that a proposition or statement is surprising: believe it or not, the speaker was none other than Horace.believe me (or believe you me) used to emphasize the truth of a statement or assertion: believe me, she is a shrewd woman.don't you believe it! used to express disbelief in the truth of a statement: he says he is left of center, but don't you believe it.would you believe it? used to express surprise at something one is relating: they're still arguing, would you believe it?PHRASAL VERBS: believe in1. have faith in the truth or existence of: I believe in God.2. be of the opinion that (something) is right, proper, or desirable: I don't believe in censorship of the arts he didn't believe in sex before marriage.3. have confidence in (a person or a course of action): he had finally begun to believe in her.

believe late OE. belȳfan, belēfan, replacing, by prefix-substitution, earlier ġelēfan = OS. gilōbian, OHG. gilouben (G. glauben), Goth. galaubjan :- Gmc. *ʒalaubjan hold dear, trust in, f. *ʒa- Y- + *laub- dear (see LOVE).
So belief XII, repl. OE. ġelēafa.

Believe ★★½ 1999 (PG-13)

Teen prankster Ben Stiles (Mabe) loves to scare people. In fact, his behavior gets him kicked out of prep school and sent to live with his nononsense grandfather (Rubes). But the fright's on him when Ben and his friend Katherine (Cuthbert) decide to turn the abandoned Wickwire House into a haunted mansion and a ghostly figure suddenly starts making appearances. 97m/C VHS, DVD . Ricky Mabe, Elisha Cuthbert, Jan Rubes, Ben Gazzara, Andrea Martin, Jayne Heitmeyer; D: Robert Tinnell. VIDEO