earnest

== English == === Pronunciation === (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɝ.nɪst/ (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɜː.nɪst/ Homophone: Ernest === Etymology 1 === From Middle English ernest, eornest, from Old English eornest, eornost, eornust (“earnestness, zeal, seriousness, battle”), from Proto-Germanic *ernustuz (“earnest, strength, solidity, struggle, fight”), a derivative of Proto-Germanic *arniz (“efficient, capable, diligent, sure”), from Proto-Indo-European *er- (“to cause to move, arouse, increase”). Cognate with West Frisian earnst (“earnest, seriousness”), Dutch ernst (“seriousness, gravity, earnest”), German Ernst (“seriousness, earnestness, zeal, vigour”), Icelandic ern (“brisk, vigorous”), Gothic 𐌰𐍂𐌽𐌹𐌱𐌰 (arniba, “secure, certain, sure”). The adjective is from Middle English eornest, from Old English eornoste (“earnest, zealous, serious”), from the noun. Cognate with North Frisian ernste (“earnest”), Middle Low German ernest, ernst (“serious, earnest”), German ernst (“serious, earnest”). ==== Noun ==== earnest (uncountable) Gravity; serious purpose; earnestness. 1914, February 13, The Times, Obituary: Canon Augustus Jessopp He wrote well in a forcible, colloquial style, with the air of being tremendously in earnest, and full of knowledge which overflowed his pages, tricked out with somewhat boisterous illustrations. Seriousness; reality; actuality (as opposed to joking or pretence) ===== Derived terms ===== earnestful in earnest ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== earnest (third-person singular simple present earnests, present participle earnesting, simple past and past participle earnested) (transitive) To be serious with; use in earnest. ==== Adjective ==== earnest (comparative earnester or more earnest, superlative earnestest or most earnest) (said of an action or an utterance) Serious, sincere, ingenuous. Synonyms: authentic; see also Thesaurus:genuine (with a positive sense) Focused in the pursuit of an objective; honestly eager to obtain or do. Intent; focused; showing a lot of concentration. Synonyms: intensive; see also Thesaurus:focused (said of a person or a person's character) Possessing or characterised by seriousness. Synonyms: grave; see also Thesaurus:serious Strenuous; diligent. Synonyms: painstaking; see also Thesaurus:industrious Serious; weighty; of a serious, weighty, or important nature; important. Synonyms: historic; see also Thesaurus:important ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === Uncertain; apparently related to erres. Compare also arles. ==== Noun ==== earnest (plural earnests) A sum of money paid in advance as a deposit; hence, a pledge, a guarantee, an indication of something to come. ===== Translations ===== ==== See also ==== Earnest earnest money === Etymology 3 === From earn +‎ -est. ==== Verb ==== earnest (archaic) second-person singular simple present indicative of earn === Anagrams === Eastern, Saetern, Tareens, eastern, estrane, nearest, renates, sterane