never trust me

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Used in oaths, suggesting that one should never be trusted again if what one says now is not true.

Register: slang

Examples

Pet[ruchio]. Now for my life Hortentio feares his Widow. Wid[ow]. Then neuer truſt me if I be affeard.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

an ordinary phrase with low Londoners, and common in Shakspeare’s time, vide Twelfth Night. It is generally used instead of an oath, calling vengeance on the asseverator, if such-and-such does not come to pass.

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 “never trust me” mean?

Used in oaths, suggesting that one should never be trusted again if what one says now is not true.

Is “never trust me” formal or informal?

never trust me is generally slang.