truth
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++truth /truːθ/ ●●● S1 W2 noun 1 TRUE FACTS 事实the truth TRUEthe true facts about something, rather than what is untrue, imagined, or guessed 事实，真相，实情 OPP lie, falsehood, untruth How do we know you’re telling us the truth? 我们怎么知道你告诉我们的是真话？the truth about She hoped to find out the truth about her family. 她希望弄清她的家世。the truth behind We’ll never know the truth behind what happened. 我们永远不会知道所发生之事背后的真相。2 being true 真实性 [uncountable]TRUE the state or quality of being true 真实性truth in There was some truth in the accusations. 那些指控也有一些真实性。grain/element of truth (=small amount of truth) 一点真实的成分 There wasn’t a grain of truth in what he said. 他的话没有一点是真的。 There was an element of truth (=a small amount of truth) in what he said. 他的话中有些许真实的成分。 There is no truth in the rumour. 传言毫无真实性。3 important ideas 重要思想 [countable usually plural] formalTRUEIDEA an important fact or idea that is accepted as being true 真理；公认的事实 The experience has taught us some basic truths. 这次经历教会我们一些基本的道理。an unhappy/unpleasant/unwelcome truth (=an unpleasant or disappointing fact) 令人不快的真相 It is in his interest to hide unhappy truths about his agency’s performance. 隐瞒自己的代理机构业绩不佳这一真相对他 有利。4 in truth IN FACTin fact 事实上，其实 SYN really Early independence leaders were in truth little better than rebels. 早期的独立运动领导人其实不过是叛乱分子。5 if (the) truth be known/told TRUEused when telling someone the real facts about a situation, or your real opinion 说实话 If the truth be known, I felt a little left out at school. 说实话，我感到在学校里有点受冷落。6 to tell (you) the truth spokenTRUE used when giving your personal opinion or admitting something 老实说，实话对你说 To tell the truth, I was frightened to death. 老实说，我怕得要死。7. nothing could be further from the truth UNTRUEused to say that something is definitely not true 那绝对不是事实8. the truth will out old-fashionedTRUE used to say that even if you try to stop people from knowing something, they will find out in the end 真相终会大白的 → half-truth, home truth, → the moment of truth at moment(16) COLLOCATIONSverbstell the truth 说实话It’s better to tell the truth. 最好说实话。speak the truth 说真话He always spoke the truth, whether it was popular or not. 他一向实话实说，不管人们爱不爱听。know the truth 了解真相At last I knew the truth about my father’s death. 我终于知道了父亲死亡的真相。find out/discover/uncover the truth 弄清/发现/揭露真相She was determined to find out the truth. 她决意弄清真相。learn the truth 知道真相When she learns the truth, she may decide to help us. 她要是知道实情的话，也许会决定帮我们。get at/to the truth informal (=discover the truth) 弄清真相nThe police will eventually get to the truth of the matter.reveal the truth 揭露真相nShe’d promised never to reveal the truth.accept/admit the truth 接受/承认事实nOur pride kept us from admitting the truth.be/come close to the truth 接近真相nThe book comes a little too close to the truth for their liking.get the truth out of somebody (=make someone tell you the truth) 让某人说出真相nI’ll get the truth out of her, whatever it takes!ADJECTIVES/NOUN + truththe whole/full truth 全部真相Investors should have been told the whole truth. 投资者本应被告知全部真相。the simple/plain/naked truth (=the truth, with nothing added, left out, or hidden) 纯粹的/明显的/赤裸裸的事实The simple truth is that there isn’t enough money to pay for it. 事实明摆着，不够钱买。the sad/painful truth (=something that is true but that you regret) 令人悲伤/痛苦的事实She still misses him, and that’s the sad truth. 她依然思念他，这是件令人悲伤的事。the awful/terrible/dreadful etc truth 可怕的真相nShe could not bring herself to tell them the awful truth.the honest truth (=used to emphasize that you are telling the truth) 千真万确nWe never came here to steal anything, and that’s the honest truth.the gospel truth (=the complete truth) 绝对真理nDon’t take everything she says as the gospel truth.phrasesthe truth of the matter 实际情况The truth of the matter is that we don’t know what really happened. 实际情况是，我们不知道到底发生了什么。COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘say the truth’. Say tell the truth. 不要说 ‘say the truth’。 而要说 tell the truth。Examples from the Corpus
truth• One of the basic truths about human beings is that we want our lives to have meaning.• Science is based around the search for truth.• fundamental truths about human nature• Ellis explains how truth and freedom are linked.• I could let it glow like truth in its own light.• There is no truth to the rumors about him being arrested.• But the truth was that I could not do this kind of traveling alone.• But United Nations officials called for caution, saying a government investigation was necessary to discover the truth.• But then another soundless glance brought home the truth.• There the truth may by now be known.• Whatever the truth, it is always convenient to blame outsiders for creating trouble.grain/element of truth• But there is also an element of truth.• And the word can only be out this far if it has an element of truth in it.• There is more than just an element of truth in this conception.• Mere speculation or is there an element of truth about one of their stories for once????• True, most of these beliefs contain grains of truth, but their omnipotent power does not survive close scrutiny.• These two true incidents have in their implications a strange grain of truth.• There were elements of truth in this critique, Jim supposed.basic truths• And if religion was rational, and basic truths were plain, what justification could there be for compulsion?• If your ambition takes this line, there are certain basic truths that you will have to recognise.• Another over-eager cat has discovered one of the basic truths of garden life: never try to kill a toad.• The basic truths of it, once you have learned them, are difficult to forget.• What have been taught as their basic truths seem no longer to hold.• The value of the political talks so far has been to expose three basic truths.• Such leaders understand very basic truths about human beings.Origin truth Old English treowth “faithfulness”truth noun →COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChinese
facts Corpus rather true something, what about than the
truth
truth S1 W2 /truːθ/
noun
OPP lie, falsehood, untruth:
How do we know you’re telling us the truth?
the truth about
She hoped to find out the truth about her family.
the truth behind
We’ll never know the truth behind what happened.
2. BEING TRUE [uncountable] the state or quality of being true
truth in
There was some truth in the accusations.
grain/element of truth (=small amount of truth)
There wasn’t a grain of truth in what he said.
There was an element of truth (=a small amount of truth) in what he said.
There is no truth in the rumour.
3. IMPORTANT IDEAS [countable usually plural] formal an important fact or idea that is accepted as being true:
The experience has taught us some basic truths.
an unhappy/unpleasant/unwelcome truth (=an unpleasant or disappointing fact)
It is in his interest to hide unhappy truths about his agency’s performance.
4. in truth in fact
SYN really:
Early independence leaders were in truth little better than rebels.
5. if (the) truth be known/told used when telling someone the real facts about a situation, or your real opinion:
If the truth be known, I felt a little left out at school.
6. to tell (you) the truth spoken used when giving your personal opinion or admitting something:
To tell the truth, I was frightened to death.
7. nothing could be further from the truth used to say that something is definitely not true
8. the truth will out old-fashioned used to say that even if you try to stop people from knowing something, they will find out in the end
⇨ half-truth, home truth, ⇨ the moment of truth at moment(15)
■ verbs
▪tell the truth It's better to tell the truth.
▪speak the truth He always spoke the truth, whether it was popular or not.
▪know the truth At last I knew the truth about my father’s death.
▪find out/discover/uncover the truth She was determined to find out the truth.
▪learn the truth When she learns the truth, she may decide to help us.
▪get at/to the truth informal (=discover the truth) The police will eventually get to the truth of the matter.
▪reveal the truth She’d promised never to reveal the truth.
▪accept/admit the truth Our pride kept us from admitting the truth.
▪be/come close to the truth The book comes a little too close to the truth for their liking.
▪get the truth out of somebody (=make someone tell you the truth) I’ll get the truth out of her, whatever it takes!
■ adjectives/NOUN + truth
▪the whole/full truth Investors should have been told the whole truth.
▪the simple/plain/naked truth (=the truth, with nothing added, left out, or hidden) The simple truth is that there isn’t enough money to pay for it.
▪the sad/painful truth (=something that is true but that you regret) She still misses him, and that’s the sad truth.
▪the awful/terrible/dreadful etc truth She could not bring herself to tell them the awful truth.
▪the honest truth (=used to emphasize that you are telling the truth) We never came here to steal anything, and that’s the honest truth.
▪the gospel truth (=the complete truth) Don’t take everything she says as the gospel truth.
■ phrases
▪the truth of the matter The truth of the matter is that we don’t know what really happened.
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say 'say the truth'. Say tell the truth.
truth S1 W2 /truːθ/
noun Word Family: adverb: truly, truthfully ≠ untruthfully, true; noun: truth ≠ untruth, truthfulness; adjective: true ≠ untrue, truthful ≠ untruthful
Language: Old English
Origin: treowth 'faithfulness'
1. TRUE FACTS the truth the true facts about something, rather than what is untrue, imagined, or guessed Origin: treowth 'faithfulness'
OPP lie, falsehood, untruth:
the truth about
the truth behind
2. BEING TRUE [uncountable] the state or quality of being true
truth in
grain/element of truth (=small amount of truth)
3. IMPORTANT IDEAS [countable usually plural] formal an important fact or idea that is accepted as being true:
an unhappy/unpleasant/unwelcome truth (=an unpleasant or disappointing fact)
4. in truth in fact
SYN really:
5. if (the) truth be known/told used when telling someone the real facts about a situation, or your real opinion:
6. to tell (you) the truth spoken used when giving your personal opinion or admitting something:
7. nothing could be further from the truth used to say that something is definitely not true
8. the truth will out old-fashioned used to say that even if you try to stop people from knowing something, they will find out in the end
⇨ half-truth, home truth, ⇨ the moment of truth at moment(15)
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■ adjectives/NOUN + truth
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■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say 'say the truth'. Say tell the truth.
Truth
Truth, Soj‧our‧ner /ˈsɒdʒənəʳ $ ˈsəʊdʒər-/
(1797–1883) a female US slave (=a black person who was owned by a white person) with strong Christian beliefs, who was allowed to become a free person and who then travelled around the US teaching people about God and speaking publicly against slavery (=the practice of owning slaves).
Truth, Soj‧our‧ner /ˈsɒdʒənəʳ $ ˈsəʊdʒər-/
(1797–1883) a female US slave (=a black person who was owned by a white person) with strong Christian beliefs, who was allowed to become a free person and who then travelled around the US teaching people about God and speaking publicly against slavery (=the practice of owning slaves).
