2 ADJ If a person or their manner is confident , they feel sure about their own abilities, qualities, or ideas. □ In time he became more confident and relaxed. ● con|fi|dent|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ She walked confidently across the hall.
3 ADJ [oft ADJ that] If you are confident that something is true, you are sure that it is true. A confident statement is one that the speaker is sure is true. □ She is confident that everybody is on her side. □ 'Bet you I can', comes the confident reply. ● con|fi|dent|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ I can confidently say that none of them were or are racist.
con|fi|den|tial /kɒ nf I de nʃ ə l/
1 ADJ Information that is confidential is meant to be kept secret or private. □ She accused them of leaking confidential information about her private life. □ We'll take good care and keep what you've told us strictly confidential, Mr. Lane. ● con|fi|den|tial|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Any information they give will be treated confidentially. ● con|fi|den|ti|al|ity /kɒ nf I denʃiæ l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the confidentiality of the client-solicitor relationship.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you talk to someone in a confidential way, you talk to them quietly because what you are saying is secret or private. □ All of this is delivered in a warm, confidential tone. □ His face suddenly turned solemn, his voice confidential. ● con|fi|den|tial|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ Nash hadn't raised his voice, still spoke rather softly, confidentially.
con|fi|den|tial|ly /kɒ nf I de nʃəli/
1 ADV Confidentially is used to say that what you are telling someone is a secret and should not be discussed with anyone else. □ Confidentially, I am not sure that it wasn't above their heads.
2 → see also confidential
con|figu|ra|tion /kənf I gʊre I ʃ ə n, [AM ] -f I gjə-/ (configurations )
1 N‑COUNT A configuration is an arrangement of a group of things. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …Stonehenge, in south-western England, an ancient configuration of giant stones.
2 N‑UNCOUNT The configuration of a computer system is way in which all its parts, such as the hardware and software, are connected together in order for the computer to work. [COMPUTING ]
con|fig|ure /kənf I gə r , [AM ] -gjər/ (configures , configuring , configured ) VERB If you configure a piece of computer equipment, you set it up so that it is ready for use. [COMPUTING ] □ [V n] How easy was it to configure the software?
con|fine (confines , confining , confined ) The verb is pronounced /kənfa I n/. The noun confines is pronounced /kɒ nfa I nz/. 1 VERB To confine something to a particular place or group means to prevent it from spreading beyond that place or group. □ [V n + to ] Health officials have successfully confined the epidemic to the Tabatinga area. □ [V n] The U.S. will soon be taking steps to confine the conflict.
2 VERB If you confine yourself or your activities to something, you do only that thing and are involved with nothing else. □ [V pron-refl + to ] He did not confine himself to the one language. □ [V -ed] His genius was not confined to the decoration of buildings.
3 VERB [usu passive] If someone is confined to a mental institution, prison, or other place, they are sent there and are not allowed to leave for a period of time. □ [be V -ed + to ] The woman will be confined to a mental institution.
4 N‑PLURAL Something that is within the confines of an area or place is within the boundaries enclosing it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] The movie is set entirely within the confines of the abandoned factory.
5 N‑PLURAL The confines of a situation, system, or activity are the limits or restrictions it involves. □ [+ of ] …away from the confines of the British class system. □ [+ of ] I can't stand the confines of this marriage.
con|fined /kənfa I nd/
1 ADJ If something is confined to a particular place, it exists only in that place. If it is confined to a particular group, only members of that group have it. □ [+ to ] The problem is not confined to Germany. □ [+ to ] These dangers are not confined to smokers.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A confined space or area is small and enclosed by walls. □ His long legs bent up in the confined space.
3 ADJ If someone is confined to a wheelchair, bed, or house, they have to stay there, because they have a disability or are ill. This use could cause offence. □ [+ to ] He had been confined to a wheelchair since childhood.
con|fine|ment /kənfa I nmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT Confinement is the state of being forced to stay in a prison or another place which you cannot leave. □ She had been held in solitary confinement for four months.
con|firm ◆◆◇ /kənfɜː r m/ (confirms , confirming , confirmed )
1 VERB [no cont] If something confirms what you believe, suspect, or fear, it shows that it is definitely true. □ [V that] X-rays have confirmed that he has not broken any bones. □ [V n] These new statistics confirm our worst fears about the depth of the recession. ● con|fir|ma|tion /kɒ nfə r me I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] They took her resignation from Bendix as confirmation of their suspicions.