Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
honesty
hon‧es‧ty /ˈɒnəsti, ˈɒnɪsti $ ˈɑːn-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑honesty ≠ dishonesty; adverb: ↑honestly ≠ dishonestly; adjective: honest ≠ ↑dishonest]
1. the quality of being honest OPP dishonesty:
a politician of rare honesty and courage
2. in all honesty used when telling someone that what you are saying is what you really think:
It was not, in all honesty, a very good start.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
honesty
hon·esty [ˈɒnəsti] [ˈɑːnəsti] noun uncountable
the quality of being honest
• She answered all my questions with her usual honesty.
• His honesty is not in question.
Idiom: in all honesty
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French honeste, from Latin honestas, from honestus, from honos, honor. The original sense was ‘honour, respectability’, later ‘decorum, virtue, chastity’.
Thesaurus:
honesty [honesty] noun U
• I expect total honesty from my employees.
integrity • • sincerity • • good faith • |BrE honour • |AmE honor • |formal probity •
Opp: dishonesty
absolute/complete honesty/integrity/sincerity
sb's personal honesty/integrity/honour/probity
Example Bank:
• ‘Don't you love me?’ ‘I don't know,’ she said with brutal honesty.
• Are you questioning my honesty?
• He has the honesty and integrity to be chairman.
• I always expect total honesty from my employees.
• I appreciate your honesty about this.
• In all honesty, the book was not as good as I expected.
• She answered the questions with complete honesty.
• She had the honesty to admit her mother was right.
• Who in honesty can blame her?
• You need ruthless intellectual honesty about your own skills, weaknesses and motives.
• At least he had the honesty to admit he was wrong.
• She prided herself on her honesty.
• They have a reputation for scrupulous honesty.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
honest
honest /ˈɒn.ɪst/ US /ˈɑː.nɪst/
adjective
truthful or able to be trusted and not likely to steal, cheat or lie:
She's completely honest.
I'd like you to give me an honest answer/your honest opinion.
He had an honest face (= He looked like he could be trusted).
To be honest (with you), I don't think it will be possible.
NOTE: The opposite is dishonest.
honest-to-goodness /ˌɒn.ɪst.təˈgʊd.nəs/ US /ˌɑː.nɪst-/
adjective [before noun]
real or true:
The book is an honest-to-goodness account of her early life.
honestly /ˈɒn.ɪst.li/ US /ˈɑː.nɪst-/
adverb
in a way that is truthful:
They have always dealt honestly and fairly with their customers.
I can't honestly say what time I'll be home.
I'll do it tomorrow, honestly (= I promise that I will do it).
honestly /ˈɒn.ɪst.li/ US /ˈɑː.nɪst-/
adverb, exclamation
used to emphasize disapproval:
Honestly, you'd think she'd have asked you first!
honesty /ˈɒn.ə.sti/ US /ˈɑ/
noun [U]
the quality of being honest:
I appreciate your honesty.
I must tell you in all honesty (= truthfully and hiding nothing) that there is little chance of the scheme being approved.
Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
honesty
[ɒ̱nɪsti]
1) N-UNCOUNT Honesty is the quality of being honest.
They said the greatest virtues in a politician were integrity, correctness and honesty.
●
PHRASE: PHR with cl You say in all honesty when you are saying something that might be disappointing or upsetting, and you want to soften its effect by emphasizing your sincerity.
In all honesty, aren't there already far too many pages of scientific research published every week?...
But in all honesty, I wish it had never happened.
2) N-UNCOUNT Honesty is a plant whose seeds are contained in silvery-white papery discs.