Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language

1. (n.) Having worth or excellence; possessing merit; valuable; deserving; estimable; excellent; virtuous.

2. (n.) Having suitable, adapted, or equivalent qualities or value; -- usually with of before the thing compared or the object; more rarely, with a following infinitive instead of, or with that; as, worthy of, equal in excellence, value, or dignity to; entitled to; meriting; -- usually in a good sense, but sometimes in a bad one.

3. (n.) of high station; of high social position.

4. (n.) A man of eminent worth or value; one distinguished for useful and estimable qualities; a person of conspicuous desert; -- much used in the plural; as, the worthies of the church; political worthies; military worthies.

5. (v. t.) To render worthy; to exalt into a hero.