Word family noun truth ≠ untruth truthfulness adjective true ≠ untrue truthful ≠ untruthful adverb truly truthfully ≠ untruthfully true
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtruetrue1 /truː/ ●●● S1 W1 adjective 1 not falseTRUE based on facts and not imagined or invented OPP false → truly, truthit is true (that) It’s not true that I’m going to marry him. No, honestly, it’s a true story. Students decide if statements are true or false.true of The same is true of all political parties.true for This is especially true for old people. It’s generally true to say that fewer people are needed nowadays. The results appear to hold true (=still be correct) for other countries. → too good to be true at good1(24), → not ring true at ring2(5)2 realTRUE [only before noun] the true nature of something is its real nature, which may be hidden or not known SYN realtrue value/cost etc (of something) The house was sold for only a fraction of its true value. We need to understand the true extent of the problem.true nature/meaning/identity etc (of something) She wasn’t aware of the true nature of their relationship. She managed to conceal her true feelings. After a couple of days she showed her true self (=real character).3 admitting something especially spokenTRUE used when you are admitting that something is correct, but saying that something else, often opposite, is also correct ‘He’s very hard-working.’ ‘True, but I still don’t think he’s the right man for the job.’it is true (that) It is true that there have been improvements in some areas.4 properREAL/NOT IMAGINARY [only before noun] having all the qualities which a type of thing or person should have The heroine finally finds true love. She’s been a true friend to me. It’s an amateur sport in the true sense of the word (=with the exact meaning of this word).► see thesaurus at genuine5 → come true6 loyalFAITHFUL faithful and loyal to someone, whatever happenstrue to Throughout the whole ordeal, she remained true to her husband.7 → true to form/type8 → true to your word/principles etc9 → true to life/true-to-life10 → (all/only) too true11 straight/level [not before noun] technicalSTRAIGHT fitted, placed, or formed in a way that is perfectly flat, straight, correct etc If the door’s not true, it won’t close properly. 12 → somebody’s aim is true13 → your true colours14 → (there’s) many a true word spoken in jestCOLLOCATIONSnounsthe true nature of somethingThe prisoners are encouraged to confront the true nature of their crimes.the true value of somethingAt the time, I did not recognise the true value of my discovery.the true cost of somethingThe fixed prescription charge conceals from the general public the true cost of medicines.the true extent of somethingOur main difficulty is finding out the true extent of the problem.the true meaning of somethingThe story teaches a lesson about the true meaning of friendship.somebody’s true identityHe knew someone would soon discover his true identity.somebody’s true feelingsStephen’s controlled voice disguised his true feelings.somebody’s true self (=someone’s real character)He had revealed his true self. THESAURUStrue based on real facts, and not imagined or inventedThe film was based on a true story.Do you think the rumours are true?accurate based on facts and not containing any mistakes – used about descriptions, information, and numbersThe measurements are accurate.His assessment of the current economic situation is accurate.undeniable/indisputable definitely true, so that no one can argue or disagree about itIt is indisputable that the situation has got worse.The decline in inflation was undeniable, even if the reasons for the decline were unclear.factual based on facts, or involving factsThe court makes its decision based on factual evidence.There is very little factual information about the incident.a factual account of what happenedThe questions ask for a purely factual answer, not for opinion.verifiable formal able to be proven to be true or correctThe data was verifiable.it is a fact used when saying that something is definitely trueIt is a fact that women live longer than men.be the truth to be true – used when saying that someone is not lyingWhat I told you was the truth.be the case if a situation is the case, that is the way the situation truly isIt is certainly the case that crime rates are lower in Europe than in the US. Examples from the Corpus
true• She says her parents arrived here as refugees, but I know that's not true.• The table top doesn't look completely true.• She had borne it all alone, not knowing it wasn't true.• That sounds too good to be true.• Everything I've said is true.• It was imaginatively true also in commerce and industry, in religious and intellectual life, and in the arts.• Did he still consider me his best friend and true blood brother?• True Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God.• True courage is facing danger when you are afraid.• Even the U.S. is not really a true democracy.• He was a good partner and a true friend to me.• At last he had found true happiness.• Or is no one, since all that connecting and downloading is taking the place of true, human contact?• As far as Gabby was concerned this was true love.• True, my family was wealthy, but my parents taught me to work hard.• She makes the dance look easy - the mark of a true professional.• Being a true Red Sox fan, he never missed a game.• The true significance of the General's offer has yet to be established.• No, honestly, It's a true story.• The movie is based on a true story.• And it was also true that uniforms got people elected.• It is difficult to measure the true value of these amenities to the local community.• This is true whether the end product is a manufactured item for sale or a production process for producing it.it is true (that)• For to say something, to assert it, is to say that it is the case, that it is true.• It's a strange story, but every word of it is true.• The difficulty is that it is true.• This myth survives even though there is not a lot of evidence to suggest that it is true.• Ideas of Divine Right were, it is true, becoming increasingly difficult to justify in intellectual terms.• Whether it is true is irrelevant.• And it is true that after his death she ceased to exist for the world beyond the farm.• While it is true that no major changes have been made to the constitution, this is not through want of trying.true value/cost etc (of something)• Compare carefully the costs of these link ups with the true costs of bringing people together physically.• Once they expose the true cost of their subsidies, elected officials often decide that some are inappropriate.• One study of 68 cities found their true costs to be 30 percent higher than their budgeted costs.• Such a calculation is unlikely to produce a sum of money anywhere near the true cost of disturbance.• The true cost of allowing unfettered insider dealing has become less important than what people think the true costs to be.• Therefore, there is a probability of 0.68 that the true value of beta will lie between 0.541 and 0.807.• They have to figure out what will be the true cost of this product.• Through the actions and attitudes of struggling individuals, the true costs of self-defeating organizational behavior are made manifest. it is true (that)• For to say something, to assert it, is to say that it is the case, that it is true.• It's a strange story, but every word of it is true.• The difficulty is that it is true.• This myth survives even though there is not a lot of evidence to suggest that it is true.• Ideas of Divine Right were, it is true, becoming increasingly difficult to justify in intellectual terms.• Whether it is true is irrelevant.• And it is true that after his death she ceased to exist for the world beyond the farm.• While it is true that no major changes have been made to the constitution, this is not through want of trying.true love• The arrangement seemed to speak for itself: Alice, the true love.• He cried out that April was his true love, and they married there and then.• Roth, of course, remains eternally wedded to his one true love, his writing.• Love is strange, and true love is strange but true.• Each fevered quest for a true love left me more adrift than ever.• Others seek but do not find the true love of their dreams.• William Yes-she might think you don't have true love on your mind.• Will Mark find true love with Julie?true to• Johnson was always true to the Democratic party. truetrue2 adverb 1 STRAIGHTin an exact straight line The arrow flew straight and true to its target.2 technicalTA if a type of animal breeds true, the young animals are exactly like their parentstruetrue3 noun → out of trueFrom Longman Business Dictionarytruetrue /truː/ adjective used to describe the actual amount of something, when extra hidden amounts are added to or taken from itThe APR is the annual percentage rate of the total charge for credit or the true cost of borrowing.Origin true1 Old English treowe “faithful” 