Wor·thy a. [Compar. Worthier superl. Worthiest.]
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.
worthy
adj 1: having worth or merit or value; being honorable or
admirable; "a worthy fellow"; "no student deemed
worthy, and chosen for admission, would be kept out
for lack of funds"- Nathan Pusey; "worthy of acclaim";
"orthy of consideration"; "a worthy cause" [ant: unworthy]
2: worthy of being chosen especially as a spouse; "the parents
found the girl suitable for their son" [syn: desirable,
suitable]
3: meriting respect or esteem; "the worthy gentleman"
4: having high moral qualities; "a noble spirit"; "a solid
citizen"; "an upstanding man"; "a worthy successor" [syn:
noble, solid, upstanding]
5: morally admirable; "a worthy citizen"
n : word is often used humorously
[also: worthiest, worthier]