- True
- True True (tr[udd]), a. [Compar. {Truer} (tr[udd]"[~e]r);
superl. {Truest}.] [OE. trewe, AS. tre['o]we faithful, true,
from tre['o]w fidelity, faith, troth; akin to OFries. triuwe,
adj., treuwa, n., OS. triuwi, adj., trewa, n., D. trouw, adj.
& n., G. treu, adj., treue, n., OHG. gitriuwi, adj., triuwa,
n., Icel. tryggr, adj., Dan. tro, adj. & n., Sw. trogen,
adj., tro, n., Goth. triggws, adj., triggwa, n., trauan to
trust, OPruss druwis faith. Cf. {Trow}, {Trust}, {Truth}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Conformable to fact; in accordance with the actual state
of things; correct; not false, erroneous, inaccurate, or
the like; as, a true relation or narration; a true
history; a declaration is true when it states the facts.
[1913 Webster]
2. Right to precision; conformable to a rule or pattern; exact; accurate; as, a true copy; a true likeness of the original. [1913 Webster]
Making his eye, foot, and hand keep true time. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
3. Steady in adhering to friends, to promises, to a prince, or the like; unwavering; faithful; loyal; not false, fickle, or perfidious; as, a true friend; a wife true to her husband; an officer true to his charge. [1913 Webster]
Thy so true, So faithful, love unequaled. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
Dare to be true: nothing can need a lie. --Herbert. [1913 Webster]
4. Actual; not counterfeit, adulterated, or pretended; genuine; pure; real; as, true balsam; true love of country; a true Christian. [1913 Webster]
The true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. --John i. 9. [1913 Webster]
True ease in writing comes from art, not chance. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
5. (Biol.) Genuine; real; not deviating from the essential characters of a class; as, a lizard is a true reptile; a whale is a true, but not a typical, mammal. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Note: True is sometimes used elliptically for It is true. [1913 Webster]
{Out of true}, varying from correct mechanical form, alignment, adjustment, etc.; -- said of a wall that is not perpendicular, of a wheel whose circumference is not in the same plane, and the like. [Colloq.]
{A true bill} (Law), a bill of indictment which is returned by the grand jury so indorsed, signifying that the charges to be true.
{True time}. See under {Time}. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
