honesty
/ˈɒnɪsti
/noun [mass noun]
1The quality of being honest: they spoke with convincing honesty about their fears it was not, in all honesty, an auspicious debut...
- The consequence is that qualities such as honesty and integrity matter substantially more.
- We need to rebuild on the basis not of greed but truth, honesty, integrity.
- It is much easier to win elections by preaching hate and fear than understanding and honesty.
Synonyms
moral correctness, uprightness, honourableness, honour, integrity, morals, morality, ethics, principle, (high) principles, nobility, righteousness, rectitude, right-mindedness, upstandingness;
virtue, goodness, probity, worthiness, high-mindedness, justness, fairness, incorruptibility, truthfulness, truth, veracity, trustworthiness, reliability, conscientiousness, scrupulousness, reputability, dependability, loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity
truthfulness, truth, sincerity, candour, frankness, directness, forthrightness, openness, straightforwardness, plainness, genuineness, bluntness, outspokenness
1.1chiefly British Referring to or using a way of charging for goods or services that relies on the customers to leave money in an unattended receptacle even though there is no one to collect their payments: I bought potatoes and tomatoes from the roadside stall, putting £3 in the honesty box there’s a well-stocked honesty bar which includes local wine...
- The bookshop where I bought my newspaper from had an " honesty box ".
- Similar to the Austrian newspaper, the bagels were distributed to offices in the US capital with an honesty box payment system.
- You may also be interested in our honesty mark scheme.
2A European plant with purple or white flowers and round, flat, translucent seed pods which are used for indoor flower arrangements.
- Genus Lunaria, family Cruciferae.
- Common honesty is grown partly for its fragrant bright flowers in spring and early summer, but also for its unique oval and translucent seed-heads, much coveted by dried-flower arrangers.
Phrases
honesty is the best policy
in all honesty
Origin
Middle English: from Old French honeste, from Latin honestas, from honestus (see honest). The original sense was 'honour, respectability', later 'decorum, virtue, chastity'. The plant is so named from its seed pods, translucency symbolizing lack of deceit.