honourable
/ˈɒn(ə)rəb(ə)l
/(US honorable)
adjective
1Bringing or deserving honour: this is the only honourable course a decent and honourable man...
- By resigning she did the honourable thing and deserves credit for that.
- Her husband followed later after completing a long and honourable career in the airline business.
- They told the 66-year-old that the honourable course of action would be to resign.
Synonyms
morally correct, honest, moral, ethical, principled, righteous, right-minded, full of integrity;
decent, respected, respectable, venerable, virtuous, good, upstanding, upright, worthy, noble, high-principled, fair, just, truthful, trustworthy, trusty, law-abiding, incorruptible, reliable, reputable, dependable, faithful
illustrious, distinguished, eminent, great, admirable, glorious, prestigious, noble, notable, creditable, renowned, esteemed
1.1 formal or humorous (Of the intentions of a man courting a woman) directed towards marriage: the young man’s intentions had been honourable...
- I was beginning to feel all tingly as he gazed into the limpid pool of my eyes and professed his honorable intentions.
- I went home with this girl once and her father asked, ‘Are your intentions honourable or dishonourable?’
- He couldn't risk having her think his intentions were less than honorable.
2 (Honourable) Used as a title for certain high officials, the children of certain ranks of the nobility, and MPs: the Honourable Alan Simpson, US Senator...
- The Rt. Honourable Bernard Edward Barnaby Fitz-Patrick was born at Lisduff House, Errill on April 28, 1848.
- His next greeting was to the Honourable Jimmy Carter, President of the United States of America.
- The Honorable William H. Pryor Jr. served as the Attorney General of the State of Alabama from 1997-2004.
Derivatives
honourableness
/ noun ...- His fundamental kindness and honorableness have always impressed me.
- First, the honourableness with which the minister is facing the issue should be an object lesson to public men everywhere.
- He should really stop talking about the honorableness of public officials resigning when they have differences with their bosses.
honourably
/ adverb ...- He had reached a wrong conclusion, but there was every indication that he had come to this decision honestly and honourably.
- We'd all like to think that if you conduct yourself honorably and decently and fairly, you'll never come under attack.
- We will be vigorously defending this action as we are satisfied that we have behaved both responsibly and honourably in every way in our dealings with him.
Origin
Middle English: via Old French from Latin honorabilis, from honor 'honour'.
- holey
- holey dollar
- Holi
- holiday
- Holiday, Billie
- holiday camp
- holiday home
- holiday job
- holiday loading
- holidaymaker
- holiday resort
- holiday season
- holiday traffic
- holiday village
- holier-than-thou
- holiness
- Holinshed, Raphael
- holism
- holist
- holistic
- holistically
- holla
- holland
- hollandaise sauce
- Hollande, François