Confidence, n.
Etymology: [L. confidentia firm trust in, self- confidence: cf. F. confidence.]
1. The act of confiding, trusting, or putting faith in; trust; reliance; belief; -- formerly followed by of, now commonly by in. Society is built upon trust, and trust upon confidence of one another's integrity. South. A cheerful confidence in the mercy of God. Macaulay.
2. That in which faith is put or reliance had. The Lord shall be thy confidence. Prov. iii. 26.
3. The state of mind characterized by one's reliance on himself, or his circumstamces; a feeling of self-sufficiency; such assurance as leads to a feeling of security; self-reliance; -- often with self prefixed. Your wisdom is consumed in confidence; Do not go forth to-day. Shak. But confidence then bore thee on secure Either to meet no danger, or to find Matter of glorious trial. Milton.
4. Private conversation; (pl.) secrets shared; as, there were confidences between them. Sir, I desire some confidence with you. Shak. Confidence game, any swindling operation in which advantage is taken of the confidence reposed by the victim in the swindler. -- Confidence man, a swindler. -- To take into one's confidence, to admit to a knowledge of one's feelings, purposes, or affairs.
5 more senses
Syn. -- Trust; assurance; expectation; hope. I am confident that very much be done. Boyle.
2. Trustful; without fear or suspicion; frank; unreserved. Be confident to speak, Northumberland; We three are but thyself. Shak.
3. Having self-reliance; bold; undaunted. As confident as is the falcon's flight Against a bird, do I with Mowbray fight. Shak.
4. Having an excess of assurance; bold to a fault; dogmatical; impudent; presumptuous. The fool rageth and is confident. Prov. xiv. 16.
5. Giving occasion for confidence. [R.] The cause was more confident than the event was prosperious. Jer. Taylor.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for confidence; he lists it under assurance, faith.
Where he writes about it:
Assurance may have the good sense of a high, sustained confidence and trust; as, the saint's assurance of heaven. — from assurance
Confidence is founded upon reasons; assurance is largely a matter of feeling. — from assurance
Confidence is a firm dependence upon a statement as true, or upon a person as worthy. — from faith
Reliance is confidence on which we act or are ready to act unquestioningly; we have a calm reliance upon the uniformity of nature. — from faith