faith hate
C1Formal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
Complete trust or confidence in someone or something; strong belief in a religion based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.
A system of religious belief (e.g., the Christian faith); loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, or duty.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often used in both religious and secular contexts. As a mass noun, typically uncountable, but can be pluralised ('faiths') to denote different religious systems.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning. Minor variation in common collocations (e.g., 'faith school' is more common in UK usage; 'faith-based initiative' in US political discourse).
Connotations
In both varieties, holds positive connotations of trust and commitment, but in US discourse, it can be more politicised in discussions of 'faith communities'.
Frequency
Comparably high frequency in both varieties, but may appear more frequently in US media/public discourse due to higher religiosity metrics.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have faith in [someone/something]put/place one's faith in [someone/something]keep faith with [someone/something]lose faith in [someone/something]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in good faith”
- “on faith”
- “an article of faith”
- “faith can move mountains”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in negotiations and partnerships, e.g., 'We signed the agreement in good faith.'
Academic
Used in theology, sociology, and philosophy papers discussing religious belief or trust in institutions.
Everyday
Common in expressions of trust or disappointment, e.g., 'I have faith in you.' / 'He's lost faith in the system.'
Technical
In law, 'good faith' is a principle denoting honest intention.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- It is a concept you must simply faith.
- They faired through the difficult times.
American English
- You cannot simply faith that it will work.
- He faired in the system's ability to correct itself.
adverb
British English
- He acted faithly throughout the ordeal.
- She proceeded faithly with the plan.
American English
- They negotiated faithly and reached a settlement.
- The document was prepared faithly.
adjective
British English
- She is a faith person who attends church regularly.
- It was a faith-based decision.
American English
- He is a faith-based community leader.
- They run a faith organisation.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I have faith in my teacher.
- Her faith is very important to her.
- They showed great faith in our ability to succeed.
- Don't lose faith; things will get better.
- The agreement was signed by both parties in good faith.
- His faith in the government was severely shaken by the scandal.
- Her unshakeable faith provided solace during the crisis.
- The philosopher argued that a leap of faith is necessary to transcend pure rationality.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the sound in 'faith' as rhyming with 'safe'. You place your faith in what you feel is 'safe' or trustworthy.
Conceptual Metaphor
FAITH IS A SOLID OBJECT (foundation of faith, unshakeable faith); FAITH IS A JOURNEY (path of faith, crisis of faith).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation with 'вера' for all contexts; 'faith' is less likely than 'вера' to be used for 'belief in an idea'. 'Верность' is better translated as 'loyalty' or 'fidelity', not 'faith'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'faith' as a countable noun incorrectly (e.g., 'I have a faith on you' – should be 'I have faith in you').
- Confusing 'faith' with 'fate'.
- Using 'on faith' when 'in good faith' is meant.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase means 'with honest intention'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While often associated with religion, 'faith' can mean complete trust or confidence in any person, concept, or system, e.g., 'faith in democracy' or 'faith in a friend'.
'Faith' often implies belief without proof or in spite of doubt, and can be more emotionally charged. 'Trust' is often built on experience or evidence and is more commonly used in secular, everyday contexts.
Typically, 'faith' is uncountable when referring to the abstract concept of trust. It becomes countable ('a faith', 'faiths') when referring to a specific religion or system of belief, e.g., 'the Christian faith', 'world faiths'.
It means intent to deceive or dishonesty. In negotiation, acting in 'bad faith' means you do not intend to honour the agreement's spirit. It's the opposite of 'good faith'.