trusty, a. and n.
(ˈtrʌstɪ)
Also 3–5 trusti, 5–7 -ie, 6 -ye; 5 trosty.
[f. trust a. + -y1.]
A. adj.
1. Characterized by trust; having faith, confidence, or assurance; trustful, confident. Now rare.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 334 Ȝif þu ert to trusti, & holdest God to nesche uorto awreken sunne. c 1230 Hali Meid. 45 Ne beo þu nawt tu trusti ane to þi meidenhad. a 1425 Cursor M. 3272 (Trin.) Lord..graunte me..Trusti to be of my preyere. c 1460 J. Metham Wks. (E.E.T.S.) 90 Yf sqwyche lynys..pase thorw the tryangyl or by the tryangyl, yt sygnyfyith a trosty persone and a louyng. 1541 Wyatt Let. Wks. (1861) p. xxiv, If in these matters I have presumed to be trusty more than I was trusted, surely the zeal of the King's service drove me to it. 1616 R. C. Times' Whistle, etc. (E.E.T.S.) 115 He wilbe..Apt to deceive even his most trusty friend. 1908 Times 28 July 4/1 A very intimate and trusty friendship sprang up between them. |
2. a. Characterized by faithfulness or reliability; that may be trusted or relied upon; trustworthy.
In letters of the sovereign to subjects, Our trusty and well-beloved takes the place of L. dilecto et fideli nostro, before the names of the addressees. Privy Councillors are addressed as Right trusty and well-beloved.
| a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xv. (Percy Soc.) 47 Trusti kyng ant trewe in trone. 1432 Ld. Scrope in Plumpton Corr. (Camden) p. xxxvi, Trusty & wellbeloved, I greet you wel. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 503/1 Trosty, sekyr, fidus, fidelis. 1511–12 Act 3 Hen. VIII, c. 23 §3 Billes signed..with the hande of the Kinges trusty servaunt John Heron. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 114 The Horse..the trustiest beast that we vse in our seruice. 1615 W. Lawson Country Housew. Gard. (1626) 17 Euery Gardiner is not trusty to sell you good fruit. 1674 [see right adv. 9 c]. 1726 Swift Gulliver i. vii, A trusty servant. 1803 in Nairne Peerage Evid. (1874) 113 Our right trusty and wellbeloved George baron Keith. 1838 Thirlwall Greece II. xvi. 369 He..sent a trusty messenger to Xerxes, to claim the merit of this service. 1877 J. D. Chambers Div. Worship 230 It should be carried to the mill by a trusty person. |
(b) spec. designating a well-conducted convict to whom special privileges are granted. orig. U.S.
| 1856 Democratic State Jrnl. (Sacramento, Calif.) 28 Oct. 2/3 The ‘trusty guards’, (commanded by Pete, Scotty acting as first lieutenant,) have recovered from the effects of their stolen debauch of Saturday. 1926 J. Black You can't Win iv. 40 A trusty prisoner appeared at my side. ‘Come on, you.’ 1968 Listener 15 Feb. 209/2 At this prison, the 200 guards are all trusty prisoners. |
b. transf. and fig. of things.
| 1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. vii. 25 His trustie sword, the servant of his might. 1697 Dryden æneid vii. 886 The neighing steeds are to the chariots tied, The trusty weapon sits on ev'ry side. 1706 E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 73 One of the most trusty Timbers of the Common-wealth. 1782 Cowper Gilpin 63 My leathern belt..In which I bear my trusty sword. 1890 R. Bridges Elegy, Poems (1912) 239 Her trusty window open wide. |
B. n. a. One who (or that which) is trusty; a trustworthy person; spec. orig. in U.S., a well-conducted convict to whom special privileges are granted.
| 1573 Tusser Husb. (1878) 62 Get trustie to tend them [cattle], not lubberlie squire. Ibid. 124 Reape corne by the day,..By great is the cheaper, if trustie were reaper. 1756 W. Toldervy Hist. 2 Orphans II. 140 Why gentlemen, [answered the landlord], your old trusty there, parts with his money, and cries for it again. 1855 San Francisco Citizen 2 Oct. 2/3 Two ‘trusties’ named Scottie and Greene, escaped in a whale boat from the State Prison grounds on Sunday night. 1889 Century Mag. Jan. 448/1 The ‘trusties’ are often domesticated upon ranches near the town. 1892 Pall Mall G. 15 Nov. 2/3 Martin left his camp in charge of various captains—generally assisted by ‘trusties’, that is, well-behaved convicts, who were found to be the cruellest taskmasters. 1912 in J. Sandilands Western Canad. Dict. & Phrase-Bk. 1926 J. Black You can't Win iv. 38 He told me to stay there till he could get a ‘trusty’ to take me upstairs. 1958 People 4 May 6/4 He was a trustie working in our records office. 1963 T. & P. Morris Pentonville ii. 27 The ‘outside’ men who go beyond the prison walls are selected ‘trusties’. 1969 Telegraph (Brisbane) 29 May 2/7 (heading) Trusties plan no trouble. 1973 R. Travers Murder in Blue Mountains x. 100 The Chief of Police banned all general visitors to Butler's cell and a trusty was put in with him to guard against any attempt at suicide. |
b. local Irish. A great coat.
| 1804 M. Edgeworth Limerick Gloves vii, ‘There was a sort of a frieze trusty’. ‘A trusty!’ said Mr. Hill, ‘what is that, pray?’ ‘A big coat, sure, plase your honour’. 1837–8 J. Keegan Leg. & Poems (1907) 4 He thrust his hands into the ample pockets of his ‘trusty’, which was closely buttoned round his waist. 1846 Ibid. 365 He opened his white frieze trusty. |