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Webster 1913 Edition


Unbelief

Unˊbe-lief′

,
Noun.
[Pref.
un-
not +
belief
: cf. AS.
ungeleáfa
.]
1.
The withholding of belief; doubt; incredulity; skepticism.
2.
Disbelief; especially, disbelief of divine revelation, or in a divine providence or scheme of redemption.
Blind
unbelief
is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain.
Cowper.
Syn. – See
Disbelief
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Unbelief

UNBELIE'F

,
Noun.
1.
Incredulity; the withholding of belief; as, unbelief is blind.
2.
Infidelity; disbelief of divine revelation.
3.
In the New Testament, disbelief of the truth of the gospel, rejection of Christ as the Savior of men, and of the doctrines he taught; distrust of God's promises and faithfulness, &c. Matt. 13. Mark 16. Heb. 3. Rom. 4.
4.
Weak faith. Mark 9.

Definition 2024


unbelief

unbelief

English

Noun

unbelief (usually uncountable, plural unbeliefs)

  1. An absence (or rejection) of belief, especially religious belief
    • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Mark VI:
      And he coulde there shewe no myracles butt leyd his hondes apon a feawe sicke foolke and healed them. And he merveyled at their unbelefe.
    • 1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Vintage 1993, p. 35:
      On hands and knees he looked at the empty siding and up at the sunfilled sky with unbelief and despair.
    • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin 2010, p. 781:
      Soon Spinoza was regarded as the standard-bearer for unbelief, even though pervading his carefully-worded writings there is a clear notion of a divine spirit inhabiting the world, and a profound sense of wonder and reverence for mystery.

Translations

See also