true

1 /tru:/ adjective

1 NOT FALSE based on facts and not imagined or invented: No, honestly, it's a true story. | it is true (that): Is it true that you're leaving? | be true of sb: Babies need a lot of sleep and this is particularly true of newborns.

—opposite false

2 the true value/seriousness/nature etc the real value etc of something rather than what seems at first to be correct: I didn't realize the true seriousness of the problem until I checked the fuel gauge. | The house was sold for only a fraction of its true value.

3 REAL FEELINGS your true emotions, beliefs, opinions etc are the ones that you really have and not the ones that you pretend to have: Her true motives only emerged later.

4 ADMITTING STH spoken used when you are admitting that something is true, but saying that in spite of this something else is also true: “He's very hard-working.” “True, but I still don't think he's the right man for the job.”

5 true love/courage/freedom etc the type of love etc that is strong and has all the qualities that it should have: True courage includes the recognition of your own fear.

6 come true if wishes, dreams etc come true, they happen in the way that someone has said or hoped that they would: By 1975 the worst economic predictions had come true.

—see also: a dream come true dream 1 (5)

7 LOYAL faithful and loyal to someone, whatever happens

(+ to): Throughout the whole ordeal, she remained true to her husband.

8 true friend/believer/sportsman etc someone who behaves in the way that a good friend etc should behave: You find out who your true friends are at times like this..

9 true to form/type used to say that someone is behaving in the bad way that you expect them to: True to form, Henry turned up late.

10 true to life a book, play, description etc that is true to life seems very real and natural; realistic

11 true to your word doing exactly what you have promised to do: True to his word, John arrived promptly at 2 o'clock.

12 be true to your principles/beliefs etc to behave according to the principles that you claim to believe in: He remains true to the traditions of his profession.

13 only (too true) used to say that you know something is true, especially when you do not like it: It is only too true that people are judged by their accents.

14 true/mammal/fish/planet etc having all the qualities of a particular class of object, animal, plant etc according to an exact description of it: Despite its appearance, the whale is a true mammal.

15 STRAIGHT/LEVEL (not before noun) technical 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.

16 sb's aim is true if your aim is true, you hit the thing that you were throwing or shooting at

17 (there's) many a true word spoken in jest used to say that when people are joking they sometimes say things that are true and important

—see also: be too good to be true good 1 (23), show yourself in your true colours colour 1 (11), not ring true ring 2 (5), truly, truth 2 adverb

1 in an exact straight line: The arrow flew straight and true to its target.

2 old use truthfully

3 technical if a type of animal breeds true, the young animals are exactly like their parents

3 noun out of true not completely straight, level, or balanced: The walls are slightly out of true.