From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Worthy \Wor"thy\, a. [Compar. {Worthier}; superl. {Worthiest.}]
[OE. worthi, wur[thorn]i, from worth, wur[thorn], n.; cf.
Icel. ver[eth]ugr, D. waardig, G. w["u]rdig, OHG.
wird[imac]g. See {Worth}, n.]
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1. Having worth or excellence; possessing merit; valuable;
deserving; estimable; excellent; virtuous.
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Full worthy was he in his lordes war. --Chaucer.
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These banished men that I have kept withal
Are men endued with worthy qualities. --Shak.
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Happier thou mayst be, worthier canst not be.
--Milton.
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This worthy mind should worthy things embrace. --Sir
J. Davies.
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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.
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No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway. --Shak.
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The merciless Macdonwald,
Worthy to be a rebel. --Shak.
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Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. --Matt. iii.
11.
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And thou art worthy that thou shouldst not know
More happiness. --Milton.
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The lodging is well worthy of the guest. --Dryden.
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3. Of high station; of high social position. [Obs.]
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Worthy women of the town. --Chaucer.
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{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. --Burrill.
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