What does "meritorious" mean?

Meritorious: Possessing merit; deserving of reward or honor; worthy of recompense; valuable. And meritorious shall that hand be called, Canonized, and worshiped as a saint. Shak. -- Mer`i*to"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Mer`i*to"ri*ous*ness, n.

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