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ingenuous

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ingenuous

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Ingenuous  \In*gen"u*ous\,  a.  [L.  ingenuus  inborn,  innate, 
  freeborn,  noble,  frank;  pref.  in-  in  +  the  root  of  gignere  to 
  beget.  See  {Genius},  and  cf  {Ingenious}.] 
  1.  Of  honorable  extraction;  freeborn;  noble;  as  ingenuous 
  blood  of  birth. 
 
  2.  Noble;  generous;  magnanimous;  honorable;  upright; 
  high-minded;  as  an  ingenuous  ardor  or  zeal. 
 
  If  an  ingenuous  detestation  of  falsehood  be  but 
  carefully  and  early  instilled,  that  is  the  true  and 
  genuine  method  to  obviate  dishonesty.  --Locke. 
 
  3.  Free  from  reserve,  disguise,  equivocation,  or 
  dissimulation;  open  frank;  as  an  ingenuous  man;  an 
  ingenuous  declaration,  confession,  etc 
 
  Sensible  in  myself  .  .  .  what  a  burden  it  is  for  me 
  who  would  be  ingenuous,  to  be  loaded  with  courtesies 
  which  he  hath  not  the  least  hope  to  requite  or 
  deserve.  --Fuller. 
 
  4.  Ingenious.  [Obs.]  --Shak. 
 
  Note:  (Formerly)  printers  did  not  discriminate  between  .  .  . 
  ingenuous  and  ingenious,  and  these  words  were  used  or 
  rather  printed  interchangeably  almost  to  the  beginning 
  of  the  eighteenth  century.  --G.  P.  Marsh. 
 
  Syn:  Open  frank;  unreserved;  artless;  plain;  sincere; 
  candid;  fair;  noble;  generous. 
 
  Usage:  {Ingenuous},  {Open},  {Frank}.  One  who  is  open  speaks 
  out  at  once  what  is  uppermost  in  his  mind;  one  who  is 
  frank  does  it  from  a  natural  boldness,  or  dislike  of 
  self-restraint;  one  who  is  ingenuous  is  actuated  by  a 
  native  simplicity  and  artlessness,  which  make  him 
  willing  to  confess  faults,  and  make  known  his 
  sentiments  without  reserve.  See  {Candid}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  ingenuous 
  adj  1:  characterized  by  an  inability  to  mask  your  feelings;  not 
  devious;  "an  ingenuous  admission  of  responsibility" 
  [syn:  {artless}]  [ant:  {disingenuous}] 
  2:  lacking  in  sophistication  or  worldliness;  "a  child's 
  innocent  stare";  "his  ingenuous  explanation  that  he  would 
  not  have  burned  the  church  if  he  had  not  thought  the 
  bishop  was  in  it"  [syn:  {innocent}]




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