intr.v. re·lied, re·ly·ing, re·lies 1. To be dependent for support, help, or supply: relies on her parents for tuition. 2. 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; see leig- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] re·lier n. Synonyms: rely, depend, trust These verbs share the meaning to place or have faith or confidence in someone or something: He relies on his parents for support. Our theater group depends on volunteers to act as ushers. I trust my sister's advice. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.