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Glite Dictionary
honest John

honest John

3 6.3
A person people trust because they tell the truth and do not cheat
  • noun
  • Informal
translation icon : hombre honesto
  • People trust Honest John because he always keeps his promises and never lies.

Examples

  • They called him "Honest John Sparks," according to a Nevada Historical Society report.

    Blog text (2)

  • Honest John

    Blog text (11)

  • Everyone knows that when you need advice, you can always rely on Honest John to tell you the truth.

  • As a politician, he earned the nickname Honest John for his transparency and integrity.

Synonyms

straight arrow
vshonest John
  • Informal
2 5.9

A person who always tells the truth and follows moral rules

is an informal nickname that focuses on being trusted rather than strict moral rules
truthteller
vshonest John
1 3.8

A person who never lies, even when it is hard

is an informal nickname for someone generally trusted rather than judged by each statement

Antonyms

liar
  • Offensive
707 1.0

A person who often says things that are not true

Surface Forms

honest John singular
honest Johns plural

Morphology

honest + John

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'honest' (trustworthy) with the proper name 'John' to form a descriptive nickname meaning a man who is honest. This adjective+name pattern is common in English and many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

The nickname honest John may come from the simple picture of a man named John who is known to be honest and always tells the truth. So, calling someone 'honest and trustworthy' as 'honest John' means they are trusted and reliable.