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worth1 /wɜrθ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[wurth] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–preposition
1. good or important enough to justify (what is specified): advice worth taking; a place worth visiting.
2. having a value of, or equal in value to, as in money: This vase is worth 12 dollars.
3. having property to the value or amount of: They are worth millions.
–noun
4. excellence of character or quality as commanding esteem: women of worth.
5. usefulness or importance, as to the world, to a person, or for a purpose: Your worth to the world is inestimable.
6. value, as in money.
7. a quantity of something of a specified value: ten cents' worth of candy.
8. wealth; riches; property or possessions: net worth.
—Idiom
9. for all one is worth, Informal. to the utmost: He ran for all he was worth.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME; OE weorth, wurth; c. OHG werd (G wert), ON verthr, Goth wairths]
—Synonyms 4. See merit. 6. See value.
Mike, Worth can refer to merit (what Im talking about) and value (what youre talking about)
You are limiting the word to one particular meaning.
In your example, I would buy the book for $25 because of (1) because I think that the book is good or important enough to justify spending $25. If someone offer to pay me $200+ for the book, I would accept that (2) the book was had the value of $200+.
