honest */*/

honest */*/
UK [ˈɒnɪst] / US [ˈɑnəst] adjective
Metaphor:
Being honest and moral is like being in a high position. Being dishonest and immoral is like being low down. She has very high/low standards. ♦ The president took the moral high ground. ♦ They are upright, law-abiding people. ♦ They are fine, upstanding citizens. ♦ She had lofty ideals. ♦ He was above such small-minded prejudice. ♦ I never thought he'd stoop to that. ♦ It was a very low/underhand trick. ♦ He's just a mean and lowdown cheat. ♦ After her fall from grace, she lost everything. Honesty and truth are like straight lines that go straight up or along. Dishonesty and lying are like twisted or sloping lines. She's completely straight: I'd trust her anywhere. ♦ He kept to the straight and narrow after his release from prison. ♦ Are they on the level? Can we trust them? ♦ I need to level with you: I can't pretend that things are OK. ♦ It was a bad business, involving some crooked dealers. ♦ It's not true: you're twisting the facts. ♦ The newspapers have put their own spin/slant on what has happened. ♦ They were accused of bias in their reporting. ♦ We were presented with a very warped/distorted version of the truth. ➡ deceive, guilty
1)
a) a person who is honest does not tell lies or cheat people, and obeys the law

Most young people are decent and honest.

an honest man

honest about:

I haven't been completely honest about my past experience.

honest with:

Thank you for being so honest with me.

b) used about the things that someone says and does

I want you to give me an honest answer.

An honest appraisal of his ability can only help him.

an honest mistake (= not intentional):

I gave her the wrong amount of money, but it was an honest mistake.

2) honest work is a job that you work fairly hard at

When is the last time Charlie did any honest work?

an honest living:

I'm just trying to earn an honest living (= earn money by working hard).

•

honest (to God) — spoken used for trying to make someone believe that what you say is true

I don't know anything about it, honest.

I wouldn't lie to you, honest to God I wouldn't.

make an honest woman (out) of someone — humorous to marry a woman, especially when you have already had a long relationship with her


English dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Honest — Hon est, a. [OE. honest, onest, OF. honeste, oneste, F. honn[^e]te, L. honestus, fr. honos, honor, honor. See {Honor}.] 1. Decent; honorable; suitable; becoming. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] Belong what honest clothes you send forth to bleaching! Shak …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Honest — (né au IIIème siècle, mort en 270) est un saint et martyr catholique du IIIe siècle, originaire de Nîmes. Il est fêté le 16 février. Sommaire 1 Hagiographie 2 Reliques 3 Annexes …   Wikipédia en Français

  • honest — [än′ist] adj. [ME < OFr honeste < L honestus < honor, honor] 1. Obs. a) held in respect; honorable b) respectable, creditable, commendable, seemly, etc.: a generalized epithet of commendation 2. that will not lie, cheat, or steal;… …   English World dictionary

  • honest — I adjective aboveboard, accurate, actual, artless, as represented, authentic, bald, blunt, candid, clean, conscientious, correct, creditable, decent, downright, earnest, equitable, erect, estimable, ethical, evenhanded, exact, factual, fair, fair …   Law dictionary

  • honest — ► ADJECTIVE 1) free of deceit; truthful and sincere. 2) fairly earned: an honest living. 3) simple and unpretentious. ► ADVERB informal ▪ genuinely; really. ● make an honest woman of Cf. ↑make an ho …   English terms dictionary

  • Honest — Hon est, v. t. [L. honestare to clothe or adorn with honor: cf. F. honester. See {Honest}, a.] To adorn; to grace; to honor; to make becoming, appropriate, or honorable. [Obs.] Abp. Sandys. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • honest — (adj.) c.1300, respectable, decent, of neat appearance, also free from fraud, from O.Fr. honeste (12c.; Mod.Fr. honnête), from L. honestus honorable, respected, regarded with honor, figuratively deserving honor, honorable, respectable, from honos …   Etymology dictionary

  • honest! — idiom (informal) used to emphasize that you are not lying • I didn t mean it, honest! Main entry: ↑honestidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • Honest — (v. lat.), achtbar, anständig; daher Honestissimus, Hochachtbarer (als Titel). Honestas publica, der gute Ruf …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • honest — *upright, just, conscientious, scrupulous, honorable Analogous words: truthful, veracious (see corresponding nouns at TRUTH): candid, open, plain, *frank: *straightforward, aboveboard, forthright: *fair, equitable, dispassionate, objective… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • honest — [adj] truthful, candid above board, authentic, bona fide*, conscientious, decent, direct, equitable, ethical, fair, fair and square*, forthright, frank, genuine, high minded*, honorable, impartial, ingenuous, just, law abiding*, lay it on the… …   New thesaurus

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