confide

views updated Jun 08 2018

con·fide / kənˈfīd/ • v. [tr.] tell someone about a secret or private matter while trusting them not to repeat it to others: he confided his fears to his mother. ∎  [intr.] (confide in) trust (someone) enough to tell them of such a secret or private matter: he confided in friends that he and his wife planned to separate. ∎  (confide something to) dated entrust something to (someone) for safekeeping: the property of others confided to their care was unjustifiably risked.DERIVATIVES: con·fid·ing·ly adv.

confide

views updated May 18 2018

confide put faith in. XV. — L. confīdere, f. CON- (intensive) + fīdere trust (see FAITH).
So confident trusting, self-assured XVI; †trusted, trusty XVII; sb. confidential friend or adviser XVII; in the earlier sense — L. confīdēns, -ent-; in the later, and as sb. — F. — It. confidente; in sb. use superseded by confidant, fem. confidante (XVIII). which are not regular F. forms, but were presumably adopted orig. to represent the pronunc. of F. confidente. confidential †confident XVII; done in confidence, betokening intimacy XVIII.