honour bright
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
An asseveration which means literally, "by my honour, which is bright and unsullied." It is often still further curtailed to "HONOUR!" only.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “honour bright” mean?
An asseveration which means literally, "by my honour, which is bright and unsullied." It is often still further curtailed to "HONOUR!" only.
Is “honour bright” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.