Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BE-LIEF', n. [Sax. geleaf, leave, license, permission, consent, assent, belief, faith, or trust; geleafan, gelefan, geliefan, gelyfan, to believe; leofan, to leave and to live. From these words, it appears that belief is from the root of leave, permission, assent; Sax. leaf, leave and belief, fides; leofa, permission, license; written also lif and lufa; lyfan, to permit; D. geloof, G. glaube, belief, credit, faith; gelooven, glauben, to believe; Dan. belover, to promise; D. oorlof, verlof, leave, permission; G. urlaub, leave, furlow. The primary sense of believe, is to throw or put to, or to assent to; to leave with or to rest on; to rely. See Leave and Live.]

1. A persuasion of the truth, or an assent of mind to the truth of a declaration, proposition, or alledged fact, on the ground of evidence, distinct from personal knowledge; as, the belief of the gospel; belief of a witness. Belief may also be founded on internal impressions, or arguments and reasons furnished by our own minds; as, the belief of our senses; a train of reasoning may result in belief. Belief is opposed to knowledge and science.
2. In theology, faith, or a firm persuasion of the truths of religion. No man can attain [to] belief by the bare contemplation of heaven and earth. – Hooker.
3. Religion; the body of tenets held by the professors of faith. In the heat of persecution, to which christian belief was subject, upon its first promulgation. – Hooker.
4. In some cases, the word is used for persuasion or opinion, when the evidence is not so clear as to leave no doubt; but the shades of strength in opinion can hardly be defined, or exemplified. Hence the use of qualifying words; as, a firm, full, or strong belief.
5. The thing believed; the object of belief. Superstitious prophecies are the belief of fools. – Bacon.
6. A creed; a form or summary of articles of faith. In this sense, we generally use Creed.