Trust

/trʌst/

nounBeginner🔥Very CommonGeneral
3 meanings4 idioms/phrases3 questions

Definitions

3 meanings
1

Belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

/trʌst/

nounpositiveBeginner
General

Firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

Building trust takes time and consistency.

💡 Simply: Trust is like knowing your best friend will always have your back. It's believing someone is reliable and won't let you down, like when you trust the bus driver to get you home safely.

👶 For kids: Trust means you believe someone is good and will help you.

More Examples

2

The public has lost trust in the government.

3

She placed her trust in the experienced guide.

How It's Used

General

"She has complete trust in her doctor."

Business

"Consumer trust is crucial for brand loyalty."

Legal

"The assets are held in a family trust."

2

To believe in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something.

/trʌst/

verbpositiveBeginner
General

Believe in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something.

I trust your judgment on this matter.

💡 Simply: Trusting someone is like lending them your favorite toy – you believe they'll take care of it. It means you're willing to believe they'll do the right thing or be honest with you, even when it's not easy.

👶 For kids: Trusting someone means you believe they'll be nice or do what they say.

More Examples

2

He trusted her with his deepest secrets.

3

You can trust me to keep your secret.

How It's Used

General

"I trust that he will be honest with me."

Relationships

"She trusted her instincts about the situation."

Finance

"The bank trusts its customers to repay their loans."

Tip:Imagine you are giving someone the benefit of the doubt - that's trusting them.
3

An arrangement where assets are managed by a trustee for the benefit of a beneficiary.

/trʌst/

nounneutralmedium
Business

A combination of businesses or properties managed by one person or as one organization

The company created a blind trust to avoid conflicts of interest.

💡 Simply: A trust is like a special account where someone else looks after your money or property for you. It ensures the money is used the way you want, maybe to help your kids later in life.

👶 For kids: A trust is a grown up way of looking after money or things, like a piggy bank that a grown up helps you with.

More Examples

2

He set up a trust fund for his grandchildren's education.

3

The assets were placed into a discretionary trust.

How It's Used

Business

"The oil magnate formed a new trust to manage his assets."

Law

"The family established a charitable trust."

Tip:Think of wealthy families creating organizations to protect and manage their assets.

Idioms & expressions

in trust

Being held or managed by someone on behalf of another

"The assets were held in trust for the children."

breach of trust

A violation of confidence or faith.

"The accountant was charged with breach of trust after embezzling funds."

blind trust

A legal arrangement in which a person transfers control of their assets to an independent trustee, unaware of how the trustee will use the assets.

"The politician established a blind trust to avoid conflicts of interest."

trust fund

A legal arrangement where assets are managed for the benefit of a beneficiary

"The family created a trust fund for their grandchildren."

From Old Norse *traustr* 'strong, reliable'.

The word 'trust' has existed since Old English times, initially describing confidence or reliance.

Memory tip

Think of the times you've felt safe and secure with someone - that's trust.

Word Origin

LanguageOld Norse
Original meaning

"strong, reliable (traustr)"

complete trustmutual trustblind trusttrust fundbreach of trust

Common misspellings

trustetrussed

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written