worthy
    adj 1: having worth or merit or value; being honorable or
           admirable; "a worthy fellow"; "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, worthy]
    3: having qualities or abilities that merit recognition in some
       way; "behavior worthy of reprobation"; "a fact worthy of
       attention"
    n 1: an important, honorable person (word is often used
         humorously); "he told his story to some conservative
         worthies"; "local worthies rarely challenged the chief
         constable"

Worthy \Wor"thy\, v. t.
   To render worthy; to exalt into a hero. [Obs.] --Shak.
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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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Worthy \Wor"thy\, n.; pl. Worthies.
   A man of eminent worth or value; one distinguished for useful
   and estimable qualities; a person of conspicuous desert; --
   much used in the plural; as, the worthies of the church;
   political worthies; military worthies.
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         The blood of ancient worthies in his veins. --Cowper.
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