worth

worth

worth¹ [wʉrth]

n.

[ME < OE weorth, akin to weorthian, to honor, Ger wert, worth, werden, to become < IE * wert-, to turn: see VERSE]

1. material value, esp. as expressed in terms of money or some other medium of exchange

2. that quality of a person or thing that lends importance, value, merit, etc. and that is measurable by the esteem in which the person or thing is held

3. the amount or quantity of something that may be had for a given sum [a dollar's worth of nuts]

4. wealth; possessions; riches

prep.

1. deserving or worthy of; meriting [not worth the effort]

2. equal in worth or value to [a book that is worth $50]

3. having wealth or possessions amounting to [a man worth half a million]

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☆ for all one is worth

to the extent of one's power or ability; to the utmost

SYN.- WORTH¹ and VALUE are used interchangeably when applied to the desirability of something material as measured by its equivalence in money, goods, etc. [the worth or value of a used car ], but, in discrimination, WORTH¹ implies an intrinsic excellence resulting as from superior moral, cultural, or spiritual qualities, and VALUE suggests the excellence attributed to something with reference to its usability, importance, etc. [the true worth of a book cannot be measured by its commercial value]

worth² [wʉrth]

vi.

[ME worthen < OE weorthan, to become, used as auxiliary of the pass., akin to Ger werden: see WORTH¹]

Archaic to become [woe worth the day]