- [uncountable] trust in somebody’s ability or knowledge; trust that somebody/something will do what has been promised
- If the company can retain its customers' faith, it could become the market leader.
- faith in somebody/something I have faith in you—I know you'll do well.
- We've lost faith in the government's promises.
- Her friend's kindness has restored her faith in human nature.
- I wouldn't put too much faith in what she says.
- He has blind faith (= unreasonable trust) in doctors' ability to find a cure.
Extra Examples- Business crime undermines public faith in the business system.
- He distrusted political systems and placed his faith in the genius of individuals.
- He seems to have a blind faith in his boss.
- Her faith in human nature had been badly shaken.
- I have little faith in doctors these days.
- I wish I shared your faith in the jury system.
- If the company can retain its customers' faith it could become the market leader.
- She showed a touching faith in my ability to resolve any and every difficulty.
- These reforms are totally untested and will require a leap of faith on the part of teachers.
- They are trying to restore faith in the political system.
- They kept the faith (= kept believing in somebody/something) in the face of ridicule.
- an artist whose work reflects his abiding faith in humanity
- people who lose faith in themselves
- If I were you, I would not place too much faith in their findings.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- enormous
- great
- tremendous
- …
- have
- pin
- place
- …
- faith in
- an act of faith
- a lack of faith
- a leap of faith
- …
Definitions on the go
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- [uncountable, singular] strong religious belief
- to have faith
- to lose your faith
- Faith is stronger than reason.
- a woman of strong religious faith
- faith in somebody/something He started questioning his faith in God.
Collocations ReligionReligionBeing religious- believe in God/Christ/Allah/free will/predestination/heaven and hell/an afterlife/reincarnation
- be/become a believer/an atheist/an agnostic/a Christian/Muslim/Hindu/Buddhist, etc.
- convert to/practise a religion/Buddhism/Catholicism/Christianity/Islam/Judaism, etc.
- go to church/(North American English) temple (= the synagogue)
- go to the local church/mosque/synagogue/gurdwara
- belong to a church/a religious community
- join/enter the church/a convent/a monastery/a religious sect/the clergy/the priesthood
- praise/worship/obey/serve/glorify God
- attend/hold/conduct/lead a service
- perform a ceremony/a rite/a ritual/a baptism/the Hajj/a mitzvah
- carry out/perform a sacred/burial/funeral/fertility/purification rite
- go on/make a pilgrimage
- celebrate Christmas/Easter/Eid/Ramadan/Hanukkah/Passover/Diwali
- observe/break the Sabbath/a fast/Ramadan
- deliver/preach/hear a sermon
- lead/address the congregation
- say/recite a prayer/blessing
- preach/proclaim/spread the word of God/the Gospel/the message of Islam
- study/follow the dharma/the teachings of Buddha
- read/study/understand/interpret scripture/the Bible/the Koran/the gospel/the Torah
- be based on/derive from divine revelation
- commit/consider something heresy/sacrilege
- seek/find/gain enlightenment/wisdom
- strengthen/lose your faith
- keep/practise/practice/abandon the faith
- save/purify/lose your soul
- obey/follow/keep/break/violate a commandment/Islamic law/Jewish law
- be/accept/do God’s will
- receive/experience divine grace
- achieve/attain enlightenment/salvation/nirvana
- undergo a conversion/rebirth/reincarnation
- hear/answer a prayer
- commit/confess/forgive a sin
- do/perform penance
Extra ExamplesTopics Religion and festivalsb2- He found faith gradually, rather than in a sudden conversion.
- I lost my faith when my parents died.
- They believe that people can come to salvation through faith.
- her new-found faith in Jesus
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- religious
- deep
- genuine
- …
- have
- come to
- find
- …
- healer
- healing
- through faith
- faith in
- an article of faith
- [countable] a particular religion
- the Christian/Catholic/Islamic/Muslim/Jewish faith
- The children are learning to understand people of different faiths.
- people of all faiths and none
Extra Examples- Christianity is a faith which has shaped the history of Britain.
- Christians were allowed to practise their faith unmolested by the authorities.
- He felt the call to preach the faith to others.
- a large decline in the number of people who have an active faith of any sort
- Their aim was to keep alive the traditional Jewish faith.
- The study of other world faiths is an important part of religious education.
- the role of parents in passing on the faith to their children
- a committee which is made up of members of different faith groups
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- living
- world
- Catholic
- …
- profess
- practise/practice
- keep alive
- …
- tradition
- community
- group
- …
- people of different faiths
- [uncountable] good/bad faith the intention to do something right/wrong
- They handed over the weapons as a gesture of good faith.
- The judge did not find any bad faith on the part of the defendants.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- bad
- good
- break
- in bad faith
- in good faith
- keep faith with somebody
- …
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French feid, from Latin fides.
Idioms
See faith in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee faith in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishbreak/keep faith with somebody
- to break/keep a promise that you have made to somebody; to stop/continue supporting somebody
- As club manager he was not prepared to keep faith with the players who had failed him.
in bad faith
- knowing that what you are doing is wrong
- They had entered into the contract in bad faith.
in good faith
- believing that what you are doing is right; believing that something is correct
- We printed the report in good faith but have now learnt that it was incorrect.
- He bought the painting in good faith (= he did not know that it had been stolen).
a leap of faith
- a belief in something that is not known or has not been done before
- These reforms are totally untested and will require a leap of faith on the part of teachers.
pin your faith on somebody/something
(also pin (all) your hopes on somebody/something )
- to rely on somebody/something completely for success or help
- She did not pin much faith on their chances of success.
Extra Examples- He pinned all his hopes on getting that job.
- The company is pinning its hopes on the new project.
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faith