W — Worsen to Wound (Part 4 of 7)

1. Valuable; of worthy; estimable; also, worth while. [Obs.]

It was not worth to make it wise.

Chaucer.

2. Equal in value to; furnishing an equivalent for; proper to be exchanged for.

A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats.

Shak.

All our doings without charity are nothing worth.

Bk. of Com. Prayer.

If your arguments produce no conviction, they are worth nothing to me.

Beattie.

3. Deserving of; — in a good or bad sense, but chiefly in a good sense.

To reign is worth ambition, though in hell.

Milton.

This is life indeed, life worth preserving.

Addison.

4. Having possessions equal to; having wealth or estate to the value of.

At Geneva are merchants reckoned worth twenty hundred crowns.

Addison.

Worth while, or Worth the while. See under While, n.

Worth
(Worth), n. [OE. worth, wurþ, AS. weorð, wurð; weorð, wurð, adj. See Worth, a.]

1. That quality of a thing which renders it valuable or useful; sum of valuable qualities which render anything useful and sought; value; hence, often, value as expressed in a standard, as money; equivalent in exchange; price.

What 's worth in anything
But so much money as 't will bring?

Hudibras.

2. Value in respect of moral or personal qualities; excellence; virtue; eminence; desert; merit; usefulness; as, a man or magistrate of great worth.

To be of worth, and worthy estimation.

Shak.

As none but she, who in that court did dwell,
Could know such worth, or worth describe so well.

Waller.

To think how modest worth neglected lies.

Shenstone.

Syn. — Desert; merit; excellence; price; rate.

Worthful
(Worth"ful) a. Full of worth; worthy; deserving. Marston.

Worthily
(Wor"thi*ly) adv. In a worthy manner; excellently; deservedly; according to merit; justly; suitably; becomingly.

You worthily succeed not only to the honors of your ancestors, but also to their virtues.

Dryden.

Some may very worthily deserve to be hated.

South.

Worthiness
(Wor"thi*ness), n. The quality or state of being worthy; desert; merit; excellence; dignity; virtue; worth.

Who is sure he hath a soul, unless
It see, and judge, and follow worthiness?

Donne.

She is not worthy to be loved that hath not some feeling of her own worthiness.

Sir P. Sidney.

The prayers which our Savior made were for his own worthiness accepted.

Hooker.