? Obs. Also 6 -troath, 7–8 -troth.
1. One who or that which tells the truth; a veracious or candid person or writing.
1558. Cranmer’s Confut. Unwritten Verities, Pref. B iv b. Which sermon & al other tel truthes, openinge the abuses and tirannye of the bishop of Rome, are now put to silence.
1580. H. Gifford, Gilloflowers (1875), 147. Is not Tom teltroath euerywhere, A busie cockcombe deem[d]e?
1600. J. Lane, Tom Tel-troth, 5. That, like a tell-troth, it may boldly blaze.
1618. Barnevelt’s Apology, C. Are you, with whome lying is familiar and ordinary, a telle-truth?
1692. Washington, trans. Milton’s Def. Pop., v. M.’s Wks. 1851, VII. 139. But hear what follows, my honest Tell-troth.
1700. Astry, trans. Saavedra-Faxardo, I. 345. Would these Tell-truths be guided by Prudence … a Prince would more value Truth.
a. 1704. T. Brown, London, Wks. (1719), III. 22. Flatter him [the Poet], and tell him he’s the best Man at Heroicks in the present Age, or he’ll dismiss you with a Pill to rectify your Judgment, that shall send you to a Place where a great many bold Tell-truths are gone before you.
1809–10. Coleridge, Friend, vi. (1865), 27. Tell-truths in the service of falsehood we find everywhere.
2. The telling of the truth; candor. rare.
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), II. 419. He was very seldom guilty of offence to any except in the way of tell-truth, which he could scarce ever forbear.
