trʌst n. & v. --n. 1 a a firm
belief in
the reliability or
truth or
strength etc. of a
person or
thing. b the
state of
being relied
on. 2 a
confident expectation. 3 a a thing or person committed to one's
care. b the resulting
obligation or
responsibility (am in a
position of trust;
have fulfilled my trust). 4 a person or thing confided in (is
our sole trust). 5
reliance on the truth of a
statement etc.
without examination. 6
commercial credit (obtained goods on trust). 7
Law a
confidence placed in a person by
making that person the
nominal owner of
property to be used
for another's
benefit. b the
right of the
latter to benefit by
such property. c the property so
held. d the
legal relation between the
holder and the property so held. 8 a a
body of trustees. b an
organization managed by trustees. c an organized
association of
several companies for the
purpose of reducing or defeating
competition etc.,
esp.
one in
which all or
most of the
stock is transferred to a
central committee and shareholders
lose their voting
power although remaining entitled to profits. --v. 1 tr.
place trust
in;
believe in;
rely on the
character or
behaviour of. 2 tr. (foll. by with)
allow (a person) to have or
use (a thing)
from confidence in
its proper use (was
reluctant to trust
them with my books). 3 tr. (often foll. by that + clause) have
faith or confidence or
hope that a thing will
take place (I trust
you will
not be
late; I trust that
she is recovering). 4 tr. (foll. by to)
consign (a thing) to (a person) with trust. 5 tr. (foll. by for) allow credit to (a customer) for (goods). 6 intr. (foll. by in) place reliance in (we trust in you). 7 intr. (foll. by to) place (esp. undue) reliance on (shall have to trust to luck). øin trust Law held on the
basis of trust (see
sense 7 of n.). on trust 1 on credit. 2 on the basis of trust or confidence. take on trust
accept (an
assertion,
claim, etc.) without
evidence or
investigation. trust
company a company formed to
act as a
trustee or to deal with trusts. trust
fund a fund of
money etc. held in trust. trust
territory a territory
under the trusteeship of the United Nations or of a State designated by them. øøtrustable adj. truster n. [ME troste, truste (n.) f. ON traust f. traustr
strong: (v.) f. ON treysta, assim. to the noun]