worthy
adjectivenounverbcommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈwəː.ðɪj//
- United States//ˈwɝ.ði//
- Australia//ˈwɜː.ði//
- New Zealand//ˈwøː.ði//
- //ˈweː.ði//
Having worth, merit, or value.
adjective
- 1
Having worth, merit, or value.
These banished men that I have kept withal / Are men endued with worthy qualities
This worthy mind should worthy things embrace.
- 2
Admirable or honourable.
that such iron moulds as these shall have autority to knaw out the choicest periods of exquisitest books, and to commit such a treacherous fraud against the orphan remainders of worthiest men after death, the more sorrow will belong to that haples race of men, whose misfortune it is to have understanding.
- 3
Deserving, or having sufficient worth.
[I]t is a deed of higheſt charitie to help undeceive the people, and a vvork vvorthieſt your autoritie, […]
It is not a conclusive proof of our being enlightened Christians, that we sneer and misinterpret bygone creeds, as though in the old Greek and Roman poetry were shewn nothing worthier than Fetish idols, rotten mummies, Australasian Ram-Jams and Ethiopian Mumbo-Jumbos.
- 4
Suited; suitable; befitting.
No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway.
[…] whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.
And thou art worthy that thou shouldst not know / More happiness.
The lodging is well worthy of the guest.
Etymology
From Middle English worthy, wurthi, from Old English *weorþiġ (“worthy”), equivalent to worth + -y. Cognate with Dutch waardig (“worthy”), Middle Low German werdig (“worthy”), German würdig (“worthy”), Swedish värdig (“worthy”), Icelandic verðugur (“worthy”).
noun
- 1
A distinguished or eminent person.
That worthy one day, in our absence, being caught in the act of culpable talpicide, was rebuked by his mistress for disobeying his master's orders.
- 2
a good, wise and virtuous person.
Confucius and Mencius are revered as the sages and worthies of Confucianism.
verb
- 1
To render or treat as worthy.
And put upon him such a deal of man, That worthied him, got praises of the king […]
After having duly paid his addresses to it, he generally spends some time on the marble slab in front of the looking-glass, but without showing the slightest emotion at the sight of his own reflection, or worthying it with a song.
And it is a poor daub besides," the Emperor rejoined scornfully, as he stalked out of the gallery without worthying the artist with a look.
No henchman he worthied by weapons, if witness his features, his peerless presence!
Etymology
From Middle English worthien, wurthien, from Old English weorþian (“to esteem, honor, worship, distinguish, celebrate, exalt, praise, adorn, deck, enrich, reward”), from Proto-Germanic *werþōną (“to be worthy, estimate, appreciate, appraise”), from Proto-Indo-European *wert- (“to turn, wind”). Cognate with German werten (“to rate, judge, grade, score”), Swedish värdera (“to evaluate, rate, size up, assess, estimate”), Icelandic virða (“to respect, esteem”).
Forms
- plural
- worthies
- comparative
- worthier
- superlative
- worthiest
- past tense
- worthied
- past participle
- worthied
- present participle
- worthying
- third person singular
- worthies
worthy · Having worth, merit, or value.
Worthy · A surname.would · Past tense of will; usually followed by a bare infinitive.…wound · An injury, such as a cut, stab, or tear, to a (usually…