First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
confide
verb con·fide \kən-ˈfīd\
: to tell (something that is secret or private) to someone you trust
con·fid·edcon·fid·ing
Full Definition of CONFIDE
intransitive verb
1
: to have confidence : trust
2
: to show confidence by imparting secrets <confide in a friend>
transitive verb
1
: to tell confidentially
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Origin of CONFIDE
Middle English (Scots), from Latin confidere, from com- + fidere to trust — more at bide
Related to CONFIDE
Synonym Discussion of CONFIDE
commit, entrust, confide, consign, relegate mean to assign to a person or place for a definite purpose. commit may express the general idea of delivering into another's charge or the special sense of transferring to a superior power or to a special place of custody <committed the felon to prison>. entrust implies committing with trust and confidence <the president is entrusted with broad powers>. confide implies entrusting with great assurance or reliance <confided complete control of my affairs to my attorney>. consign suggests removing from one's control with formality or finality <consigned the damaging notes to the fire>. relegate implies a consigning to a particular class or sphere often with a suggestion of getting rid of <relegated to an obscure position in the company>.
Rhymes with CONFIDE
abide, allied, applied, aside, astride, backside, backslide, bankside, beachside, bedside, beside, bestride, betide, blear-eyed, blindside, blow-dried, blue-eyed, broadside, bromide, bug-eyed, Burnside, clear-eyed, cockeyed, cold-eyed, collide, courtside, cowhide, cross-eyed, curbside, dayside, decide, deride, divide, dockside, doe-eyed, downside, downslide, dry-eyed, ebb tide, elide, field guide, fireside, flip side, flood tide, fluoride, foreside, four-eyed, free ride, freeze-dried, Girl Guide, glass-eyed, graveside, green-eyed, hagride, hang glide, hard-eyed, hawkeyed, hayride, high tide, hillside, horsehide, inside, in stride, ironside, joyride, kingside, lakeside, landslide, low tide, lynx-eyed, misguide, moon-eyed, neap tide, nearside, nightside, noontide, offside, onside, outride, outside, pie-eyed, poolside, pop-eyed, preside, prompt side, provide, quayside, queenside, rawhide, red tide, reside, ringside, riptide, roadside, seaside, self-pride, sharp-eyed, shipside, shoreside, Shrovetide, sloe-eyed, snowslide, springtide, squint-eyed, stateside, statewide, storewide, Strathclyde, streamside, strong side, subside, tailslide, tongue-tied, topside, trackside, trailside, untried, upside, vat-dyed, walleyed, war bride, waveguide, wayside, wide-eyed, wild-eyed, worldwide, yuletide
CONFIDED Defined for Kids
confide
verb con·fide \kən-ˈfīd\
con·fid·edcon·fid·ing
Definition of CONFIDE for Kids
1
: to have or show faith <confide in a doctor's skill>
2
: to display trust by telling secrets <She needed to confide in a friend.>
3
: to tell without anyone else knowing <I confided the secret to a pal.>
4
: entrust 2 <The property was confided to their care.>
Word Root of CONFIDE
The Latin word fidēs, meaning “faith,” gives us the root fid. Words from the Latin fidēs have something to with being faithful. Fidelity is faith or loyalty. To confide in someone is to show trust in the person by telling her or him a secret. Someone who is confident has faith that he or she will do something correctly and successfully.
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