worthy

Everyday

1. Deserving respect, praise or attention: a worthy winner. tree →
2. Worthy of something means deserving it: worthy of a prize. tree →
3. Good and useful, but sometimes a bit dull: a worthy cause, a worthy book. tree →
4. (noun, old or jokey) An important person: the local worthies. tree →

In the lessons

A values word. Charities are «worthy causes»; a deserving champion is «a worthy winner». In stories, heroes prove themselves worthy. In church and the Bible: «Worthy is the Lamb» — Christians praise Jesus as worthy. Also part of compound words: trustworthy, praiseworthy, newsworthy, seaworthy (a boat safe to sail — Toad's friends hope his boats are seaworthy).

Examples

• She was a worthy winner of the race. tree →
• The story is worthy of a prize. tree →
• We raised money for a worthy cause. tree →
• «Worthy is the Lamb,» sang the choir. tree →
• Prove yourself worthy of their trust. tree →
• The town's worthies met in the hall. tree →
• Is the old boat still seaworthy? tree →
• But the following statement is worthy of notice. tree →

Note

Comparative «worthier», superlative «worthiest»; noun «worthiness». «Worthy of» + noun. Compounds with -worthy mean «deserving» or «fit for».

In Jewish tradition

It means deserving. "A sin worthy of death" is a crime that the law says deserves the death penalty. Jacob says he is "not worthy" of God's kindness. In the prophets "worthies" means a nation's brave or important men.

Interpretation. The rabbis made the death penalty very hard to apply, with strict rules of evidence. Jacob's words are taken as a model of humility.

Examples

• And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree; (Torah DEU.21.22, JPS 1917) tree →
• But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death; for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter. (Torah DEU.22.26, JPS 1917) tree →
• I am not worthy of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast shown unto Thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two camps. (Torah GEN.32.10, JPS 1917) tree →
• He bethinketh himself of his worthies; they stumble in their march; they make haste to the wall thereof, and the mantelet is prepared. (Prophets NAM.2.6, JPS 1917) tree →
• But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, for the adversary is not worthy that the king be endamaged.' (Writings EST.7.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria, thy worthies are at rest; thy people are scattered upon the mountains, and there is none to gather them. (Prophets NAM.3.18, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Comparative «worthier», superlative «worthiest»; noun «worthiness». «Worthy of» + noun. Compounds with -worthy mean «deserving» or «fit for».