Diffident vs Confide - What's the difference?
diffident | confide |
(archaic): Lacking confidence in others; distrustful.
Lacking confidence in one's self; distrustful of one's own powers; not self-reliant; timid; modest; bashful; characterized by modest reserve.
*
* {{quote-book
, year=1960
, author=
, title=(Jeeves in the Offing)
, section=chapter VIII
, passage=At an early point in these exchanges I had started to sidle to the door, and I now sidled through it, rather like a diffident crab on some sandy beach trying to avoid the attentions of a child with a spade.}}
To trust, have faith (in ).
* 1796 , Matthew Lewis, The Monk , Folio Society 1985, p. 269:
* 1818 , Mary Shelley, Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus , Everyman's Library 1973, p. 10:
* Byron
(dated) To entrust (something) to the responsibility of someone.
To take (someone) into one's confidence, to speak in secret with. ( + in )
(intransitive) To say (something) in confidence.
As an adjective diffident
is (archaic): lacking confidence in others; distrustful.As a verb confide is
to trust, have faith (in ).diffident
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- Having therefore—but hold, as we are diffident of our own abilities, let us here invite a superior power to our assistance.
confide
English
Verb
(en-verb)- "Be calm, lovely Antonia!" he replied; "no danger in near you: confide in my protection."
- "I shall do nothing rashly: you know me sufficiently to confide in my prudence and consideration whenever the safety of others is committed to my care."
- In thy protection I confide .
- I confide this mission to you alone.
- I could no longer keep this secret alone; I decided to confide in my brother.
- After several drinks, I confided my problems to the barman.
- She confided that her marriage had been in trouble for some time.