Wor"thy (?), a. [Compar.
Worthier (&?;); superl. Worthiest.] [OE.
worthi, wurþi, from worth, wurþ,
n.; cf. Icel. verðugr, D. waardig, G. würdig,
OHG. wirdīg. See Worth, n.]
1. Having worth or excellence; possessing merit;
valuable; deserving; estimable; excellent; virtuous.
Full worthy was he in his lordes war.
Chaucer.
These banished men that I have kept withal
Are men endued with worthy qualities.
Shak.
Happier thou mayst be, worthier canst not
be.
Milton.
This worthy mind should worthy things
embrace.
Sir J. Davies.
2. Having suitable, adapted, or equivalent
qualities or value; -- usually with of before the thing compared or
the object; more rarely, with a following infinitive instead of of,
or with that; as, worthy of, equal in excellence, value, or
dignity to; entitled to; meriting; -- usually in a good sense, but
sometimes in a bad one.
No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the
sway.
Shak.
The merciless Macdonwald,
Worthy to be a rebel.
Shak.
Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.
Matt. iii. 11.
And thou art worthy that thou shouldst not know
More happiness.
Milton.
The lodging is well worthy of the guest.
Dryden.
3. Of high station; of high social position.
[Obs.]
Worthy women of the town.
Chaucer.
Worthiest of blood (Eng. Law of Descent),
most worthy of those of the same blood to succeed or inherit; --
applied to males, and expressive of the preference given them over
females. Burrill.
Wor"thy, n.; pl.
Worthies (&?;). A man of eminent worth or value; one
distinguished for useful and estimable qualities; a person of conspicuous
desert; -- much used in the plural; as, the worthies of the church;
political worthies; military worthies.
The blood of ancient worthies in his
veins.
Cowper.
Wor"thy, v. t. To render worthy; to
exalt into a hero. [Obs.] Shak.
Wor"thy (?), a. [Compar.
Worthier (&?;); superl. Worthiest.] [OE.
worthi, wurþi, from worth, wurþ,
n.; cf. Icel. verðugr, D. waardig, G. würdig,
OHG. wirdīg. See Worth, n.]
1. Having worth or excellence; possessing merit;
valuable; deserving; estimable; excellent; virtuous.
Full worthy was he in his lordes war.
Chaucer.
These banished men that I have kept withal
Are men endued with worthy qualities.
Shak.
Happier thou mayst be, worthier canst not
be.
Milton.
This worthy mind should worthy things
embrace.
Sir J. Davies.
2. Having suitable, adapted, or equivalent
qualities or value; -- usually with of before the thing compared or
the object; more rarely, with a following infinitive instead of of,
or with that; as, worthy of, equal in excellence, value, or
dignity to; entitled to; meriting; -- usually in a good sense, but
sometimes in a bad one.
No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the
sway.
Shak.
The merciless Macdonwald,
Worthy to be a rebel.
Shak.
Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.
Matt. iii. 11.
And thou art worthy that thou shouldst not know
More happiness.
Milton.
The lodging is well worthy of the guest.
Dryden.
3. Of high station; of high social position.
[Obs.]
Worthy women of the town.
Chaucer.
Worthiest of blood (Eng. Law of Descent),
most worthy of those of the same blood to succeed or inherit; --
applied to males, and expressive of the preference given them over
females. Burrill.
Wor"thy, n.; pl.
Worthies (&?;). A man of eminent worth or value; one
distinguished for useful and estimable qualities; a person of conspicuous
desert; -- much used in the plural; as, the worthies of the church;
political worthies; military worthies.
The blood of ancient worthies in his
veins.
Cowper.
Wor"thy, v. t. To render worthy; to
exalt into a hero. [Obs.] Shak.
