truth

truth


Truth, Sojourner 1797?-1883.  

American abolitionist and feminist. Born into slavery, she escaped in 1827 and became a leading preacher against slavery and for the rights of women.
truth    Audio Help   (trōōth)   
n.   pl. truths (trōōthz, trōōths)
  1. Conformity to fact or actuality.

  2. A statement proven to be or accepted as true.

  3. Sincerity; integrity.

  4. Fidelity to an original or standard.

    1. Reality; actuality.

    2. often Truth That which is considered to be the supreme reality and to have the ultimate meaning and value of existence.


[Middle English trewthe, loyalty, from Old English trēowth; see deru- in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: These nouns refer to the quality of being in accord with fact or reality. Truth is a comprehensive term that in all of its nuances implies accuracy and honesty: "We seek the truth, and will endure the consequences" (Charles Seymour).
Veracity is adherence to the truth: "Veracity is the heart of morality" (Thomas H. Huxley).
Verity often applies to an enduring or repeatedly demonstrated truth: "beliefs that were accepted as eternal verities" (James Harvey Robinson).
Verisimilitude is the quality of having the appearance of truth or reality: "merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative" (W.S. Gilbert).

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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