TRUE


Meaning of TRUE in English

/ truː; NAmE / adjective , adverb , noun

■ adjective

( truer , tru·est )

CORRECT

1.

connected with facts rather than things that have been invented or guessed :

Indicate whether the following statements are true or false .

Is it true she's leaving?

All the rumours turned out to be true.

That's not strictly (= completely) true.

The novel is based on a true story .

His excuse just doesn't ring (= sound) true .

Unfortunately, these findings do not hold true (= are not valid) for women and children.

The music is dull and uninspiring, and the same is true of the acting.

You never spoke a truer word (= used to emphasize that you agree with what sb has just said) .

OPP untrue

REAL

2.

real or exact, especially when this is different from how sth seems :

the true face of socialism (= what it is really like rather than what people think it is like)

The true cost of these experiments to the environment will not be known for years to come.

He reveals his true character to very few people.

3.

[ usually before noun ] having the qualities or characteristics of the thing mentioned :

It was true love between them.

He's a true gentleman.

The painting is a masterpiece in the truest sense of the word.

He is credited with inventing the first true helicopter.

ADMITTING FACT

4.

used to admit that a particular fact or statement is correct, although you think that sth else is more important :

It's true that he could do the job, but would he fit in with the rest of the team?

'We could get it cheaper.' 'True, but would it be as good?'

LOYAL

5.

true (to sb/sth) showing respect and support for a particular person or belief in a way that does not change, even in different situations :

a true friend

She has always been true to herself (= done what she thought was good, right, etc.) .

He was true to his word (= did what he promised to do) .

ACCURATE

6.

true (to sth) being an accurate version or copy of sth :

The movie is not true to the book.

7.

[ not usually before noun ] ( old-fashioned or literary ) straight and accurate :

His aim was true (= he hit the target) .

IDIOMS

- come true

- too good to be true

- your true colours

- true to form

- true to life

—more at ring (II) verb , tried

■ adverb

( old-fashioned or literary )

STRAIGHT

1.

in a direct line :

The arrow flew straight and true to the target.

CORRECTLY

2.

speak ~ to tell the truth :

He had spoken truer than he knew.

■ noun

IDIOMS

- out of true

••

SYNONYMS

true

right ♦ correct ♦ exact ♦ precise ♦ accurate ♦ spot on

These words all describe sth that cannot be doubted as fact and includes no mistakes.

true

connected with facts rather than things that have been invented or guessed:

Are the following statements true or false ?

Is it true (that) she's leaving?

right

that is true and cannot be doubted as a fact:

I got about half the answers right.

What's the right time?

correct

right according to the facts and without any mistakes:

Only one of the answers is correct.

Check that all the details are correct.

right or correct?

Correct is more formal than right and is more likely to be used in official or formal instructions or documents.

exact

[usually before noun] giving all the details correctly:

She gave an exact description of the attacker.

precise

giving all the details clearly and correctly:

Please give precise details about your previous experience.

accurate

correct in every detail:

Accurate records must be kept at all times.

exact, precise or accurate?

Accurate can often be used before a noun in the same way as exact and precise :

exact / precise / accurate records

. When the words are used after a linking verb, there is a slightly different emphasis, especially in negative statements. A description that is not very exact / precise lacks details; a description that is not very accurate gives details, but the details are wrong. Precise includes the idea of being clear and certain as well as correct and can be used to talk about people in the phrase be precise about sth . Exact is not usually used in this way: She was reasonably exact about the time of the incident.

spot on

[not before noun] ( BrE informal ) exactly right:

His guess was spot on.

PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :

right / correct / precise / accurate / spot on about sb/sth

a(n) true / correct / exact / precise / accurate description / account

a(n) true / right / correct / exact / precise / accurate answer

the right / correct / exact / precise time

absolutely true / right / correct / exact / precise / accurate / spot on

not quite true / right / correct / exact / precise / accurate

It would be true / accurate to say that...

..., to be exact / precise.

••

WORD FAMILY

true adjective (≠ untrue )

truth noun (≠ untruth )

truthful adjective (≠ untruthful )

truly adverb

truism noun

••

WORD ORIGIN

Old English trēowe , trӯwe steadfast, loyal ; related to Dutch getrouw , German treu , also to truce .

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.