Link Centre Dictionary

honest

ho·nest

UK/ˈɒn.ɪst/ US/ˈɔː.nɪst/ very common

adjective

1.

not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent

  • “honest lawyers”
  • “honest reporting”
  • “an honest wage”
  • “honest weight”
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2.

without dissimulation; frank

  • “my honest opinion”
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3.

worthy of being depended on

  • “a dependable worker”
  • “an honest working stiff”
  • “a reliable source of information”
  • “he was true to his word”
  • “I would be true for there are those who trust me”
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4.

free from guile

  • “his answer was simple and honest”
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5.

without pretensions

  • “worked at an honest trade”
  • “good honest food”
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6.

habitually speaking the truth

  • “an honest man”
  • “a veracious witness”
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7.

marked by truth

  • “gave honest answers”
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Origin

From Middle English honest, honeste (“honourable, appropriate, excellent”), from Old French honeste, from Latin honestus, from honor. For the verb, see Latin honestāre (“to clothe or adorn with honour”), and compare French honester. Displaced native Old English sōþfæst (literally “truth-firm”).

Phrases

  • God honest truth
  • God's honest truth
  • honest as the day
  • honest broker
  • honest comment
  • honest Indian
  • honest injun
  • honest John

Related words

Word family

See also

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.