1.
[syn: deserving, worth(p)]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Deserving \De*serv"ing\, n.
Desert; merit.
[1913 Webster]
A person of great deservings from the republic.
--Swift.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Deserve \De*serve"\ (d[-e]*z[~e]rv"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Deserved; p. pr. & vb. n. Deserving.] [OF. deservir,
desservir, to merit, L. deservire to serve zealously, be
devoted to; de- + servire to serve. See Serve.]
1. To earn by service; to be worthy of (something due, either
good or evil); to merit; to be entitled to; as, the
laborer deserves his wages; a work of value deserves
praise.
[1913 Webster]
God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity
deserveth. --Job xi. 6.
[1913 Webster]
John Gay deserved to be a favorite. --Thackeray.
[1913 Webster]
Encouragement is not held out to things that deserve
reprehension. --Burke.
[1913 Webster]
2. To serve; to treat; to benefit. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
A man that hath
So well deserved me. --Massinger.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Deserving \De*serv"ing\, a.
Meritorious; worthy; as, a deserving person or act. --
De*serv"ing*ly, adv.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
deserving
adj 1: worthy of being treated in a particular way; "an idea
worth considering"; "the deserving poor" (often used
ironically) [syn: deserving, worth(p)]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
24 Moby Thesaurus words for "deserving":
admirable, ascribable, attributable, beyond all praise,
comeuppance, commendable, creditable, deserts, due, entitled to,
estimable, exemplary, laudable, merit, merited, meriting,
meritorious, model, praiseworthy, rights, unexceptionable,
well-deserving, worthy, worthy of