a. [ OE. honest, onest, OF. honeste, oneste, F. honnête, L. honestus, fr. honos, honor, honor. See Honor. ] 1. Decent; honorable; suitable; becoming. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Belong what honest clothes you send forth to bleaching! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Characterized by integrity or fairness and straightforwardness in conduct, thought, speech, etc.; upright; just; equitable; trustworthy; truthful; sincere; free from fraud, guile, or duplicity; not false; -- said of persons and acts, and of things to which a moral quality is imputed; as, an honest judge or merchant; an honest statement; an honest bargain; an honest business; an honest book; an honest confession. [ 1913 Webster ]

An honest man's the noblest work of God. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

An honest physician leaves his patient when he can contribute no farther to his health. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

Look ye out among you seven men of honest report. Acts vi. 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Rom. xii. 17. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Open; frank; as, an honest countenance. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Chaste; faithful; virtuous. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wives may be merry, and yet honest too. Shak.

Syn. -- Upright; ingenuous; honorable; trusty; faithful; equitable; fair; just; rightful; sincere; frank; candid; genuine. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. honestare to clothe or adorn with honor: cf. F. honester. See Honest, a. ] To adorn; to grace; to honor; to make becoming, appropriate, or honorable. [ Obs. ] Abp. Sandys. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of honesting; grace; adornment. [ Obs. ] W. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Honesty; honorableness. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. Honorably; becomingly; decently. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In an honest manner; as, a contract honestly made; to live honestly; to speak honestly. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To come honestly by. (a) To get honestly. (b) A circumlocution for to inherit; as, to come honestly by a feature, a mental trait, a peculiarity. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. honeste, oneste, honor, OF. honesté, onesté (cf. F. honnêteté), L. honestas. See Honest, a. ] 1. Honor; honorableness; dignity; propriety; suitableness; decency. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

She derives her honesty and achieves her goodness. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The quality or state of being honest; probity; fairness and straightforwardness of conduct, speech, etc.; integrity; sincerity; truthfulness; freedom from fraud or guile. [ 1913 Webster ]

That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 1 Tim. ii. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Chastity; modesty. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

To lay . . . siege to the honesty of this Ford's wife. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Bot.) Satin flower; the name of two cruciferous herbs having large flat pods, the round shining partitions of which are more beautiful than the blossom; -- called also lunary and moonwort. Lunaria biennis is common honesty; Lunaria rediva is perennial honesty.

Syn. -- Integrity; probity; uprightness; trustiness; faithfulness; honor; justice; equity; fairness; candor; plain-dealing; veracity; sincerity. [ 1913 Webster ]