Definitions for: Faith


[n] loyalty or allegiance to a cause or a person; "keep the faith"; "they broke faith with their investors"
[n] complete confidence in a person or plan etc; "he cherished the faith of a good woman"; "the doctor-patient relationship is based on trust"
[n] a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; "he lost his faith but not his morality"
[n] institution to express belief in a divine power; "he was raised in the Baptist religion"; "a member of his own faith contradicted him"



Webster (1913) Definition: Faith, n. [OE. feith, fayth, fay, OF. feid, feit, fei,
F. foi, fr. L. fides; akin to fidere to trust, Gr. ??????? to
persuade. The ending th is perhaps due to the influence of
such words as truth, health, wealth. See Bid, Bide, and
cf. Confide, Defy, Fealty.]
1. Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is
declared by another, resting solely and implicitly on his
authority and veracity; reliance on testimony.

2. The assent of the mind to the statement or proposition of
another, on the ground of the manifest truth of what he
utters; firm and earnest belief, on probable evidence of
any kind, especially in regard to important moral truth.

Faith, that is, fidelity, -- the fealty of the
finite will and understanding to the reason.
--Coleridge.

3. (Theol.)
(a) The belief in the historic truthfulness of the
Scripture narrative, and the supernatural origin of
its teachings, sometimes called historical and
speculative faith.
(b) The belief in the facts and truth of the Scriptures,
with a practical love of them; especially, that
confiding and affectionate belief in the person and
work of Christ, which affects the character and life,
and makes a man a true Christian, -- called a
practical, evangelical, or saving faith.

Without faith it is impossible to please him
[God]. --Heb. xi. 6.

The faith of the gospel is that emotion of the
mind which is called ``trust'' or ``confidence''
exercised toward the moral character of God, and
particularly of the Savior. --Dr. T.
Dwight.

Faith is an affectionate, practical confidence
in the testimony of God. --J. Hawes.

4. That which is believed on any subject, whether in science,
politics, or religion; especially (Theol.), a system of
religious belief of any kind; as, the Jewish or Mohammedan
faith; and especially, the system of truth taught by
Christ; as, the Christian faith; also, the creed or belief
of a Christian society or church.

Which to believe of her, Must be a faith that reason
without miracle Could never plant in me. --Shak.

Now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
--Gal. i. 23.

5. Fidelity to one's promises, or allegiance to duty, or to a
person honored and beloved; loyalty.

Children in whom is no faith. --Deut. xxvii.
20.

Whose failing, while her faith to me remains, I
should conceal. --Milton.

6. Word or honor pledged; promise given; fidelity; as, he
violated his faith.

For you alone I broke me faith with injured Palamon.
--Dryden.

7. Credibility or truth. [R.]

The faith of the foregoing narrative. --Mitford.

Act of faith. See Auto-da-f['e].

Breach of faith, Confession of faith, etc. See under
Breach, Confession, etc.

Faith cure, a method or practice of treating diseases by
prayer and the exercise of faith in God.

In good faith, with perfect sincerity.


Faith, interj.
By my faith; in truth; verily.

Synonyms: religion, religion, religious belief, trust

See Also: allegiance, Asian shamanism, belief, Brahmanism, Brahminism, Buddhism, Buddhism, Christian church, Christian religion, Christianity, church, commitment, cult, cult, dedication, ecclesiasticism, established church, establishment, heathenism, Hebraism, Hindooism, Hindooism, Hinduism, Hinduism, Hsuan Chiao, institution, Islam, Islamism, Jainism, Jewish religion, Judaism, loyalty, Mazdaism, Mithraicism, Mithraism, Mohammadanism, Mohammedanism, Muslimism, mysticism, nature worship, pagan religion, paganism, religious cult, religious mysticism, religious order, religious sect, revealed religion, sect, shamanism, Shinto, Shinto, Shintoism, Sikhism, supernatural virtue, Taoism, Taoism, theism, theological virtue, Zoroastrianism

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