Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
No pronunciation record was provided for this word.
adj
Alternative form of honest-to-God.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative, not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Honest; truly, really; used to emphasize that a statement is true.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Truly, really.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Compare swear to God. Originally used as a sentence adverb or interjection, modifying entire clauses or utterances; honest itself is used this way, as in “Honest, I had no idea!” (meaning “I'm telling the truth, I had no idea!”).
