honest Injun

or hon·est in·jun

[ in-juhn ]

adverbOlder Use: Often Offensive.
  1. honestly (used to emphasize the truth of a statement).

Origin of honest Injun

1
An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; see Injun

usage note For honest Injun

Honest Injun uses a nonstandard pronunciation spelling of Indian. Popularized by Mark Twain in Tom Sawyer (1876), this expression is now dated and perceived as insulting to American Indians. Though it came to mean “honestly or truly,” the expression may have had its origin in the contrary historical perception that Native Americans were not considered honest or trustworthy until they had proven themselves, for example, as scouts. See also Indian.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use honest Injun in a sentence

  • honest Injun, fellers, he did say he might think of something like that if he didn't get some better soon.

  • Grandfather had not actually promised to take themnothing so solemn as honest Injun or Cross my heart.

    Letty and the Twins | Helen Sherman Griffith
  • Will you promise, honest Injun, not to kill or maim him, not to do anything that will injure him permanent?

    The Fighting Edge | William MacLeod Raine
  • honest Injun, Jack, it's so bad that I find myself writing poetry on the backs of envelopes.

    The Lure of the Mask | Harold MacGrath
  • Youll have to wait a bit, Pete; Im dead broke, honest Injun!

    On Your Mark! | Ralph Henry Barbour