Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Reliable
Re-li′a-ble
(r?-l?′?-b’l)
, Adj.
Suitable or fit to be relied on; worthy of dependance or reliance; trustworthy.
“A reliable witness to the truth of the miracles.” A. Norton.
The best means, and most
reliable
pledge, of a higher object. Coleridge.
According to General Livingston’s humorous account, his own village of Elizabethtown was not much more
reliable
, being peopled in those agitated times by “unknown, unrecommended strangers, guilty-looking Tories, and very knavish Whigs.” W. Irving.
☞ Some authors take exception to this word, maintaining that it is unnecessary, and irregular in formation. It is, however, sanctioned by the practice of many careful writers as a most convenient substitute for the phrase to be relied upon, and a useful synonym for trustworthy, which is by preference applied to persons, as reliable is to things, such as an account, statement, or the like. The objection that adjectives derived from neuter verbs do not admit of a passive sense is met by the citation of laughable, worthy of being laughed at, from the neuter verb to laugh; available, fit or able to be availed of, from the neuter verb to avail; dispensable, capable of being dispensed with, from the neuter verb to dispense. Other examples might be added.
– Re-li′a-ble-ness
, Noun.
Re-li′a-bly
, adv.
Definition 2024
reliable
reliable
English
Adjective
reliable (comparative more reliable, superlative most reliable)
- Suitable or fit to be relied on; worthy of dependence or reliance; trustworthy
- A reliable witness to the truth of the miracles. -- Andrews Norton.
- The best means, and most reliable pledge, of a higher object. -- Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
- According to General Livingston's humorous account, his own village of Elizabethtown was not much more reliable, being peopled in those agitated times by unknown, unrecommended strangers, guilty-looking Tories, and very knavish Whigs. --Washington Irving.
- (signal processing, of a communication protocol) Such that either a sent packet will reach its destination, even if it requires retransmission, or the sender will be told that it didn't
Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived terms
- reliableness
- reliably
- semireliable
Related terms
Translations
fit to be relied on
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See also
-
Reliability on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Noun
reliable (plural reliables)
- Something or someone reliable or dependable
- the old reliables