I. ˈänə̇st adjective
( sometimes -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English honest, honeste, from Old French honeste, from Latin honestus honorable, decent, handsome, from honos, honor esteem, honor
1.
a. : free from fraud or deception : legitimate , truthful
make an honest dollar
an atmosphere still magically colored by gentility, culture and honest wealth — Winston Brebner
the first need is for honest and candid presentation of the facts — Dean Acheson
b. : of unquestioned authenticity : genuine , real
making honest stops at stop signs — Christian Science Monitor
when it's not making honest rain … it's misting from the marshes or fogging from the sea — T.H.Fielding
— often used intensively in hyphened combination with to and an object
the first honest -to-God American beauty I had seen in four months — Tom O'Reilly
a real honest -to-goodness Cape Cod lobster stew — M.F.Leonard
c.
(1) : free of ostentation or pretense : humble
younger sons … were often apprenticed to some honest trade — Wallace Clare
(2) : free of ornament or disguise : plain
a cafeteria which … serves really good honest food — C.M.Smith
2.
a. obsolete : of good repute : estimable
b. : virtuous in the eyes of society : reputable
the fortune … made the woman honest , as her second protector immediately married her — G.L.Phillips
c. chiefly Britain : good , worthy
an honest fellow, who did his best to please
I kept six honest serving-men — Rudyard Kipling
3.
a. : of a creditable nature : praiseworthy
workers who would not take the trouble to turn out an honest job — Roy Lewis & Angus Maude
b. obsolete : of good reputation : respectable
now let's go to an honest alehouse and sing Old Rose — Izaak Walton
4.
a. : characterized by integrity : adhering to principle : upright
honest merchants
no honest prostitute would have had the face to ask the prices they asked — Robert Graves
b. : frank and straightfoward : sincere
early in life I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility — F.L.Wright
an honest appeal to the people was the last thing desired by the Federalists — V.L.Parrington
c. : direct and uncomplicated : innocent , simple
the honest sleep of any tired child — Alice Marriott
the honest average playgoer simply wants to be told what play is best worth going to — for him — C.E.Montague
Synonyms: see upright
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
obsolete : to make honest or honorable : justify
III. adverb
: honestly
I have ever found thee honest true — Shakespeare
honest I won't tell
— often used intensively in hyphened combination with to and an object
knowing I was honest -to-goodness off and away — Helen Eustis