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confidence

confidence, secret

noun kohn-fee-DAHNS Rare

Origin: Latin confidentia, from confidere (to trust fully)

Usage Note

Confidence is a 'false friend': it does NOT mean self-confidence (which is la confiance en soi); it means a private disclosure or secret shared between people. Faire une confidence means 'to confide something'. The related verb is se confier à quelqu'un (to confide in someone).

Examples

"Elle lui a fait une confidence importante."

Natural Translation

She confided something important to him.

Literal Translation

She made him an important confidence.

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