honest
good and bad behaviour RIGHT/WRONG
- if you say things that are true and you do not deceive people or steal, you are honest; noun (U): honesty
an honest worker ◎ a reputation for honesty
- what an honest person shows or does is honest
an honest face ◎ an honest opinion
- if the things you say are true, you tell* the truth, you are truthful (adverb truthfully)
I'm telling you the truth, you must believe me. ◎ a truthful account of what happened
- if you really mean or believe what you say, you are sincere; noun (U): sincerity
my sincere apologies ◎ to speak with complete sincerity
- in a way which is true, not pretended: really, truly, genuinely
I think he genuinely felt sorry.
- when sb wants a truthful opinion, they say be honest, tell me honestly
Be honest - do you really like this dress?
- when sb gives a truthful opinion, they say to be honest, in all honesty
To be perfectly honest, I have never liked children.
- when sb wants to emphasize a statement, they say honestly
Honestly, it really did happen like that! ◎ I honestly don't know where she is.
- if you tell the truth about sth that you have been keeping secret, you own up (to sth), (informal) come* clean (with sb) (about sth)
Why not just own up? They're bound to find out sooner or later anyway. ◎ She eventually came clean with me about her police record.
- willing to speak honestly: open (adverb openly), straightforward; noun (U): openness
She was quite open about her past. ◎ His manner was pleasant and straightforward.
- saying exactly what you mean (even if it is unpleasant): frank (adverb frankly); noun (U): frankness
To be perfectly frank, I don't like that dress. ◎ a frank discussion
- saying what you think, without embarrassment: outspoken
- saying exactly what you think (not very politely): blunt (adverb bluntly); noun (U): bluntness
He can be very blunt at times.
※ more on saying what is true TRUE
- if you believe that a person is honest and reliable, you trust them; a person who can be trusted is trustworthy
I don't trust him - he lied to me before.
- the quality that a person has if they are honest and live according to strict moral ideas: integrity (noun U)
a person of integrity
※ more on trusting people TRUST
※ not honest
- the opposite of honest is dishonest; dishonest behaviour: dishonesty (noun U)
a dishonest salesman ◎ dishonest earnings
- not meaning or believing what you say: insincere
- a person who does not tell the truth is untruthful, is a liar, tells* lies
a reputation for being untruthful ◎ a habitual liar
- something that is not true is untruthful; if it is not completely untrue but gives a wrong idea, it is misleading
a misleading advertisement
※ more on telling lies LIE
- to make sb believe sth that is not true: deceive sb
- if sb deceives other people or is generally dishonest, they are deceitful
a deceitful child
- behaviour that is intended to deceive sb is deceitful (adverb deceitfully)
He has acted very deceitfully.
※ more on deceiving sb DECEIVE
- not honest, moral or legal: corrupt; this kind of behaviour, especially by people in official positions: corruption (noun U)
corrupt business practices ◎ corrupt officials who accept bribes ◎ police corruption
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