honest (redirected from earn an honest penny)

honest and aboveboard and open and aboveboard

Fig. in the open; visible to the public; honest. Don't keep it a secret. Let's make sure that everything is honest and aboveboard. You can do whatever you wish, as long as you keep it honest and aboveboard. The inspector had to make sure that everything was open and aboveboard.

See also: aboveboard, and

Honest to goodness. and Honest to God.; Honest to Pete.

I speak the truth. (Some people may object to the use of God in this phrase.) Did he really say that? Honest to goodness? Honest to Pete, I've been to the South Pole.

See also: goodness

keep someone honest

to manage to make someone behave honestly and fairly and tell the truth. I love to tell about our vacations, and my wife is usually with me to keep me honest.

See also: keep

make an honest woman of someone

Fig. to marry a woman. (Intended as jocular.) So you finally made an honest woman out of Denise. She had wanted Max to make an honest woman of her, but you can't depend on Max to do anything right.

See also: make, woman

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be a [Londoner/patriot/politician etc.] through and through  also be [French/good/honest etc.] through and through

if someone is a Londoner etc. or is French etc. through and through, they behave in a way that is typical of such a person and that is the most important part of their character He always managed to say the right thing. He was a politician through and through. She never really settled in England. She was French through and through.

See know through and through

See also: and, through

be as honest as the day (is long)

to be completely honest You can be as honest as the day is long and still get into trouble if you fill in your tax form incorrectly.

See also: day

honest to God  (informal)

something you say in order to emphasize that you are telling the truth I didn't mean to hurt him, honest to God I didn't!

See also: god

honest-to-goodness

an honest-to-goodness thing or person is plain, simple, and exactly what they appear to be (always before noun) I'd much rather have an honest-to-goodness steak than any of the fancy stuff he cooks.

make an honest woman of somebody   (humorous)

if a man makes an honest woman of someone that he is having a relationship with, he marries her You've been living with Jean for five years, isn't it time you made an honest woman of her?

See also: make, woman

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honest to God (spoken)

this is really true honest to goodness I didn't tell her about the party, honest to God!

Usage notes: also used as a modifier: It was an honest to God mix-up.

See also: god

honest to goodness (spoken)

this is really true honest to God I'll be there on Tuesday, honest to goodness!

See also: goodness