worth

 
Pronunciation: /wəːθ/

adjective

[predic.]
  • 1equivalent in value to the sum or item specified: jewellery worth £450 was taken
  • having income or property amounting to a specified sum: she is worth £10 million
  • 2sufficiently good, important, or interesting to be treated or regarded in the way specified: the museums in the district are well worth a visit it’s hard work juggling a job with a baby, but it’s worth it
  • used to suggest that the specified course of action may be advisable: the company’s service schemes are worth checking out

noun

[mass noun]
  • 1the level at which someone or something deserves to be valued or rated: they had to listen to every piece of gossip and judge its worth
  • an amount of a commodity equivalent to a specified sum of money: he admitted stealing 10,000 pounds' worth of computer systems
  • high value or merit: he is noble, and gains his position by showing his inner worth
  • 2the amount that could be achieved or produced in a specified time: the companies have debts greater than two years' worth of their sales

Phrases

for all someone is worth

informal as energetically or enthusiastically as someone can: he thumps the drums for all he’s worth

for what it is worth

used to emphasize that one is offering a suggestion or opinion without making a claim to its validity: for what it’s worth, she’s very highly thought of abroad

worth one's salt

see salt

worth one's while (or worth while)

see while

Origin:

Old English w(e)orth (adjective and noun), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch waard and German wert