King James Bible Dictionary

WORTH, adjective Termination, signifies a farm or court; as in Wordsworth.

WORTH, verb intransitive This verb is now used only in the phrases, wo worth the day, wo worth the man, etc., in which the verb is in the imperative mode, and the noun in the dative; wo be to the day.

WORTH, noun [G., Latin The primary sense is strength.]

1. Value; that quality of a thing which renders it useful, or which will produce an equivalent good in some other thing. The worth of a days labor may be estimated in money, or in wheat. The worth of labor is settled between the hirer and the hired. The worth of commodities is usually the price they will bring in market; but price is not always worth

2. Value of mental qualities; excellence; virtue; usefulness; as a man or magistrate of great worth

As none but she, who in that court did dwell, could know such worth or worth describe so well.

All worth-consists in doing good, and in the disposition by which it is done.

3. Importance; valuable qualities; applied to things; as, these things have since lost their worth

WORTH, adjective

1. Equal in value to. Silver is scarce worth the labor of digging and refining. In one country, a days labor is worth a dollar; in another, the same labor is not worth fifty cents. It is worth while to consider a subject well before we come to a decision.

If your arguments produce no conviction, they are worth nothing to me.

2. Deserving of; in a good or bad sense, but chiefly in a good sense. The castle is worth defending.

To reign is worth ambition, though in hell.

This is life indeed, life worth preserving.

3. Equal in possessions to; having estate to the value of. Most men are estimated by their neighbors to be worth more than they are. A man worth a hundred thousand dollars in the United States, is called rich; but no so in London or Paris.

WORTHiest of blood, an expression in law, denoting the preference of sons to daughters in the descent of estates.

WORTHILY, adverb

1. In a manner suited to; as, to walk worthily of our extraction. [Bad.]

2. Deservedly; according to merit.

You worthily succeed not only to the honors of your ancestors, but also to their virtues.

3. Justly; not without cause.

I affirm that some may very worthily deserve to be hated.

WORTHINESS, noun

1. Desert; merit.

The prayers which our Savior made, were for his own worthiness accepted.

2. Excellence; dignity; virtue.

Who is sure he hath a soul, unless it see and judge and follow worthiness?

3. Worth; quality or state of deserving.

WORTHLESS, adjective

1. Having no value; as a worthless garment; a worthless ship.

2. Having no value of character or no virtue; as a worthless man or woman.

3. Having no dignity or excellence; as a worthless magistrate.

WORTHLESSNESS, noun

1. Want of value; want of useful qualities; as the worthlessness of an old garment or of barren land.

2. Want of excellence or dignity; as the worthlessness of a person.

WORTHY, adjective [G.]

1. Deserving; such as merits; having worth or excellence; equivalent; with of, before the thing deserved. She has married a man worthy of her.

Thou art worthy of the sway.

I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies--Genesis 32:10.

2. Possessing worth or excellence of qualities; virtuous; estimable; as a worthy citizen; a worthy magistrate.

Happier thou mayst be, worthier canst not be.

This worthy mind should worthy things embrace.

3. Suitable; having qualities suited to; either in a good or bad sense; equal in value; as flowers worthy of paradise.

4. Suitable to any thing bad.

The merciless Macdonald, worthy to be a rebel.

5. Deserving of ill; as things worthy of stripes. Luke 12:48.

WORTHY, noun A man of eminent worth; a man distinguished for useful and estimable qualities; a man of valor; a word much used in the plural; as the worthies of the church; political worthies; military worthies.

WORTHY, verb transitive To render worthy; to exalt. [Not in use.]