- To be dependent for support, help, or supply: relies on her parents for tuition.
- To place or have faith or confidence: relied on them to tell him the truth.
[Middle English relien, to rally, from Old French relier, from Latin religāre, to bind fast : re-, re- + ligāre, to bind.]
relier re·li'er n.SYNONYMS rely, trust, depend, reckon. These verbs share the meaning to place or have faith or confidence in someone or something. Rely implies complete confidence: “You are the only woman I can rely on to be interested in her” (John Galsworthy). Trust stresses confidence arising from belief that is often based on inconclusive evidence: “We must try to trust one another. Stay and cooperate” (Jomo Kenyatta). Depend implies confidence in the help or support of another: depends on friends for emotional support. Reckon implies a sense of confident expectancy: “He reckons on finding a woman as big a fool as himself” (George Meredith).
