fid-, fidel-
(Latin: believe, belief; trust, faith, true)
confident (adjective), more confident, most confident
1. Having strong belief, firm trust, or sure expectation; feeling certain, fully assured, sure.
2. Full of assurance, self-reliant, bold; sure of oneself, one's cause, etc.; having no fear of failure.
2. Full of assurance, self-reliant, bold; sure of oneself, one's cause, etc.; having no fear of failure.
confidential (adjective), more confidential, most confidential
Characterized by the communication of secrets or private matters: The magazine disclosed some confidential and intimate details regarding the movie star's private life.
confidentially (adverb), more confidentially, most confidentially
confidently (adverb), more confidently, most confidently
1. Renunciation of faith, allegiance, or amity; a declaration of hostilities.
2. The act of defying or challenging by fighting or a challenge or summons to a combat or contest: "The worker's defiance resulted in a challenge to maintain the objectives of the project or he would take legal action."
2. The act of defying or challenging by fighting or a challenge or summons to a combat or contest: "The worker's defiance resulted in a challenge to maintain the objectives of the project or he would take legal action."
defiant (adjective), more defiant, most defiant
Refusing to obey or to take orders from someone: "A defiant protester was shown on TV as he was still shouting and resisting the police."
"There has been a lot of news about defiant people who have been protesting in countries who are unhappy about their economic situations."
defiantly (adverb), more defiantly, most defiantly
defy (verb), defies; defied; defying
1. To refuse to obey or to follow directions: Peggy defied her parents and got a job instead of going to school.
2. To challenge a person to do something difficult or impossible: James parents were defying him to get an "A" on his final exam in chemistry.
3. To be told that there is something that cannot be done: Jim's football team defied the odds and won the championship game.
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2. To challenge a person to do something difficult or impossible: James parents were defying him to get an "A" on his final exam in chemistry.
3. To be told that there is something that cannot be done: Jim's football team defied the odds and won the championship game.
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Distrust of oneself; lacking trust in one’s own ability, worth, or fitness; having a modest or shy disposition: Marcus has an abnormal diffidence or is very timid when he is around girls, especially Harriet.
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A diffident man is one who has finally discovered that there are some problems for which no one has a solution. It seems that when a person thinks he knows all the solutions to a problem, some fool comes along and asks the wrong questions.
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diffident (adjective), more diffident, most diffident
1. Pertaining to a lack of confidence or not feeling comfortable around certain people: When Jason is called on to answer a question that Mrs. Savage, the teacher, is asking him during class, he usually has a diffident way of expressing himself even when he is certain that he is correct.
2. A reference to being very careful about acting or speaking: As Mrs. Hoover, the reporter, asked the politician, Mrs. Traviss, if she would be running for a third term, she made a diffident response because she didn't want to say anything that could be interpreted as being slanderous about her opponent.
© ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
2. A reference to being very careful about acting or speaking: As Mrs. Hoover, the reporter, asked the politician, Mrs. Traviss, if she would be running for a third term, she made a diffident response because she didn't want to say anything that could be interpreted as being slanderous about her opponent.
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.
diffidently (adverb), more diffidently, most diffidently
A reference to having distrust in one's self: Henry diffidently asked Rena, his neighbor, about her family problems because he didn't want her to think he was prying into her personal affairs.
Disciplina, fide, perseverantia. (Latin motto)
Translation: "By discipline, fidelity, and perseverance."
A motto of fortitude and steadfastness.
Esto fidelis usque ad finem. (Latin motto)
Translation: "Be faithful even to the end."
Esto fidelis usque ad mortem. (Latin motto)
Translation: "Be faithful unto death."
