dishonesty
(dɪsˈɒnɪstɪ)
Also 4–5 des-, dishonestee.
[a. OF. desho(n)nesté (13th c. in Littré, in mod.F. déshonnêteté) = Pr. dezonestat, It. disonestà, a Romanic formation on dishonest-us dishonest, after L. honestāt-em honourableness, honesty.]
The quality of being dishonest.
† 1. Dishonour, disgrace, discredit, shame; (with pl.) a dishonourable or disgraceful action. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶759 Shame, that eschueth alle deshonestee. c 1400 Destr. Troy 528 Ne deme no dishonesty in your derfe hert. 1535 Coverdale Ecclus. iii. 13 Where the father is without honoure, it is the dishonesty of the sonne. a 1542 Wyatt Compl. Loue (R.), From thousand dishonesties have I him drawen. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) 2 Cor. iv. 2 We renounce the secrete [1611 hidden] things of dishonestie [Wycl. Geneva, R.V. shame, Tindale, etc. unhonestie.] 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. viii. 86 To venture he may haue honour; to ly hidd as he la, dishonestie. |
† 2. Unchastity, lewdness. Obs.
| 1535 Coverdale Ecclus. xxii. 4 Shee that commeth to dishonesty, bringeth hir father in heuynes. 1553 S. Cabot Ordinances in Hakluyt Voy. (1589) 261 No woman to be tempted..to incontinencie or dishonestie. 1630 Wadsworth Pilgr. vii. 73 Accused..of dishonesty with another mans wife. 1639 S. Du Verger tr. Camus' Admir. Events 110 A right temple of Cyprus where the sacrifices were only dishonesties. |
† 3. Shameful or foul appearance, ugliness, deformity. Obs.
| c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xviii. 82 Þare may a man see mykill dishonestee [F. meinte leide figure]. 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 91 Ye may not see them by cause of the fylthe and dyshoneste of the place. 1535 Coverdale Ezek. xvi. 8 Then spred I my clothes ouer the, to couer thy dishonestie [1611 nakednesse]. |
4. The reverse of honesty; lack of probity or integrity; disposition to deceive, defraud, or steal; thievishness; theft, fraud. Also, a dishonest or fraudulent act.
| 1599 Shakes. Much Ado ii. ii. 9 So couertly, that no dishonesty shall appeare in me. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Country Farme 320 Others are of opinion, that stolne Bees thriue best, but..I neuer knew profit in dishonestie. 1751–73 Jortin Eccl. Hist. (R.), A forger..will avoid..minute detail, in which he must perpetually expose his ignorance and dishonesty. 1804 Southey Lett. (1856) I. 280, I have caught out Barros in so many dishonesties. 1878 Jevons Prim. Pol. Econ. 59 Nothing is more difficult than for a person convicted of dishonesty to find desirable employment. |