earnest

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Related to earnest: earnest money

ear·nest¹

(ûr′nĭst)

adj.

Showing or expressing sincerity or seriousness: an earnest gesture of goodwill. See Synonyms at serious.

Idiom:

in earnest

1. With a purposeful or sincere intent: settled down to study in earnest for the examination.

2. Serious; determined: "Both sides are deeply in earnest, with passions that approximate those of civil war" (Conor Cruise O'Brien).

[Middle English ernest, from Old English eornoste; see er- in Indo-European roots.]

ear′nest·ly adv.

ear′nest·ness n.

ear·nest²

(ûr′nĭst)

1. Earnest money.

2. A token of something to come; a promise or assurance.

[Middle English ernest, variant of ernes, alteration of Old French erres, pl. of erre, pledge, from Latin arra, alteration of arrabō, from Greek arrabōn, earnest-money, of Canaanite origin; see ʕrb in Semitic roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

earnest

(ˈɜːnɪst)

adj

1. serious in mind or intention: an earnest student.

2. showing or characterized by sincerity of intention: an earnest promise.

3. demanding or receiving serious attention

seriousness

[Old English eornost; related to Old High German ernust seriousness, Old Norse ern energetic, efficient, Gothic arniba secure]

ˈearnestly adv

ˈearnestness n

earnest

(ˈɜːnɪst)

1. a part or portion of something given in advance as a guarantee of the remainder

2. (Law) contract law Also called: earnest money something given, usually a nominal sum of money, to confirm a contract

3. any token of something to follow; pledge; assurance

[C13: from Old French erres pledges, plural of erre earnest money, from Latin arrha, shortened from arrabō pledge, from Greek arrabon, from Hebrew `ērābhōn pledge, from `ārabh he pledged]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ear•nest¹

(ˈɜr nɪst)

adj.

1. serious in intention, purpose, or effort; sincerely zealous.

2. showing depth and sincerity of feeling: an earnest entreaty.

3. seriously important; grave.

4. full seriousness, as of intention or purpose: to be in earnest.

[before 1000; Middle English ernest, Old English eornost zeal, seriousness, c. Middle Low German ernest, Old High German ernust]

ear′nest•ly, adv.

ear′nest•ness, n.

syn: earnest, resolute, serious, sincere imply having qualities of steady purposefulness. earnest implies having a purpose and being steadily and soberly eager in pursuing it: an earnest student. resolute adds a quality of determination: resolute in defending the rights of others. serious implies having depth and a soberness of attitude that contrasts with gaiety and frivolity; it may include the qualities of both earnestness and resolution: serious and thoughtful. sincere suggests genuineness, trustworthiness, and absence of superficiality: a sincere interest in a person's welfare.

ear•nest²

(ˈɜr nɪst)

n.

1. a portion of something, given or done in advance as a pledge of the remainder.

2. money given by a buyer to a seller to bind a contract.

[1175–1225; Middle English ernes(t), alter. of Old French erres, pl. of erre earnest money < Latin arr(h)a short for arr(h)abō < Greek arrhabṓn < Semitic (compare Hebrew ‘ērābhōn security, pledge)]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	earnest - something of value given by one person to another to bind a contract surety, security - property that your creditor can claim in case you default on your obligation; "bankers are reluctant to lend without good security" arles, earnest money - money given by a buyer to a seller to bind a contract
Adj.	1.	earnest - characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions; "both sides were deeply in earnest, even passionate"; "an entirely sincere and cruel tyrant"; "a film with a solemn social message" sincere, solemn serious - concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities; "a serious student of history"; "a serious attempt to learn to ski"; "gave me a serious look"; "a serious young man"; "are you serious or joking?"; "Don't be so serious!"
	2.	earnest - earnest; "one's dearest wish"; "devout wishes for their success"; "heartfelt condolences" heartfelt, devout, dear sincere - open and genuine; not deceitful; "he was a good man, decent and sincere"; "felt sincere regret that they were leaving"; "sincere friendship"
	3.	earnest - not distracted by anything unrelated to the goal businesslike purposeful - serving as or indicating the existence of a purpose or goal

earnest

adjective

1. serious, keen, grave, intense, steady, dedicated, eager, enthusiastic, passionate, sincere, thoughtful, solemn, ardent, fervent, impassioned, zealous, staid, keen as mustard Ella was a pious, earnest young woman.
serious trifling, frivolous, flippant, insincere

2. determined, firm, dogged, constant, urgent, intent, persistent, ardent, persevering, resolute, heartfelt, zealous, vehement, wholehearted Despite their earnest efforts, they failed to win support.
determined indifferent, unconcerned, uninterested, couldn't-care-less, apathetic, unenthusiastic, half-hearted

in earnest

3. seriously, resolutely, earnestly, wholeheartedly Campaigning will begin in earnest tomorrow.

4. genuine, serious, sincere, honest, dinkum (Austral & N.Z. informal), not joking I can never tell whether he is in earnest or not.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

earnest¹

adjective

1. Marked by sober sincerity:

businesslike, no-nonsense, serious, sobersided.

Idiom: in earnest.

2. Full of or marked by dignity and seriousness:

grave, sedate, serious, sober, solemn, somber, staid.

3. Having great consequence or weight:

grave, heavy, momentous, serious, severe, weighty.

earnest²

noun

Something given to guarantee the repayment of a loan or the fulfillment of an obligation:

guaranty, pawn, pledge, security, token, warrant.

Translations

جادُّ، جدّيعـاقِد العَزْم

oprigtigseriøs

ernst ernsthaft ernstlich

serio

sérieux

alvarlegur, ákveîinnalvarlegur, einlægur

serio sul serio zelante grave serietà

iš širdiesne juokaisrimtai

apņēmīgsdedzīgsnopietns

maurflittig

sério

ağırbaşlıciddîkararlısamimî

认真的诚挚的

earnest

¹ [ˈɜːnɪst]

A. ADJ (= serious) [person, character etc] → serio, formal; (= sincere) → sincero; (= eager) [wish, request] → vivo, ferviente
it is my earnest wish that → deseo fervientemente que + subjun

B. N in earnest → en serio
are you in earnest? → ¿lo dices en serio?

earnest

² [ˈɜːnɪst] N → prenda f, señal f
earnest money → fianza f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

earnest

[ˈɜː^rnɪst]

adj

[person] → sérieux/euse; [expression] → sérieux/euse

[wish] → sincère; [effort] → sérieux/euse

to be in earnest (= serious) [person] → être sérieux

(= sign) an earnest of sth → un gage de qch
as an earnest of sth → en gage de qch

in earnest adv (= seriously) → sérieusement, pour de bon
to do sth in earnest → faire qch sérieusement

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

earnest

adj person → ernst, ernsthaft; voice → ernst; hope, desire → aufrichtig, innig; conversation, discussion → ernsthaft; it shall be my earnest prayer that … → ich werde aufrichtig dafür beten, dass …; they were in earnest conversation → sie unterhielten sich ernsthaft

in earnest (= for real) → richtig; then she started crying in earnest → dann fing sie erst an richtig zu weinen; to be in earnest about something (= serious) → etw ernst meinen; is he in earnest about it? → ist es ihm ernst damit?; this time I’m in earnest → diesmal meine ich es ernst, diesmal ist es mein Ernst

earnest (money) (Jur, = deposit) → Handgeld nt

(= guarantee) → Pfand nt (→ of +gen); an earnest of one’s good intentions → ein (Unter)pfand seiner guten Absichten

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

earnest

[ˈɜːnɪst]

1. adj (person, character, request) → serio/a; (wish) → sincero/a

2. n

a. in earnest (with determination) → con serietà, con coscienza; (seriously) → sul serio

b. (Law) (also earnest money) → caparra

earnest

(ˈəːnist) adjective

1. serious or over-serious. an earnest student; She wore an earnest expression.

2. showing determination, sincerity or strong feeling. He made an earnest attempt to improve his work.

ˈearnestness noun

earnestly adverb

in earnest

1. serious; not joking. I am in earnest when I say this.

2. seriously; with energy and determination. He set to work in earnest.

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

'You do not mean,' said Rose, turning very pale, 'to tell me that this was said in earnest?'

View in context

Lord George, who had been walking up and down before the house talking to himself with earnest gestures, mounted his horse; and returning old John Willet's stately bow, as well as the parting salutation of a dozen idlers whom the rumour of a live lord being about to leave the Maypole had gathered round the porch, they rode away, with stout John Grueby in the rear.

View in context

amid the earnest woes That crowd around my earthly path --(Drear path, alas!

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So often have you asked me about my former existence--about my mother, about Pokrovski, about my sojourn with Anna Thedorovna, about my more recent misfortunes; so often have you expressed an earnest desire to read the manuscript in which (God knows why) I have recorded certain incidents of my life, that I feel no doubt but that the sending of it will give you sincere pleasure.

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The remaining birds at once forsook his fields, crying to each other, "It is time for us to be off to Liliput: for this man is no longer content to scare us, but begins to show us in earnest what he can do."

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Thinking it might possibly be in the enjoyment of the elective franchise, he gave it a cordial and earnest grasp.

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'My dear,' says he, 'I have been considering very much upon it, you may be sure, and though it is a piece of advice that has a great many mortifications in it to me, and may at first seem strange to you, yet, all things considered, I see no better way for you than to let him go on; and if you find him hearty and in earnest, marry him.'

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Some have considered the larger part of mankind in the light of actors, as personating characters no more their own, and to which in fact they have no better title, than the player hath to be in earnest thought the king or emperor whom he represents.

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I thought a shade passed over the features of the pretty Julia Monson as she answered her friend, with a seriousness to show that she was now in earnest, and with a propriety that proved she had great good sense at bottom, as well as strong womanly feeling.

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The reputation that I made as a speaker during this campaign induced a number of persons to make an earnest effort to get me to enter political life, but I refused, still believing that I could find other service which would prove of more permanent value to my race.

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"It is very flattering." She glanced up again at his earnest, questioning face, with its Saxon eyes and drooping flaxen mustache, in some doubt as to whether he might be joking.

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Some girls, addressed with this reckless intermingling of jest and earnest, would have felt confused, and some would have felt flattered.

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