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Webster 1913 Edition

Earnest

Ear′nest

(ẽr′nĕst)
,
Noun.
[AS.
eornost
,
eornest
; akin to OHG.
ernust
, G.
ernst
; cf. Icel.
orrosta
battle, perh. akin to Gr.
ὀρνύναι
to excite, L.
oriri
to rise.]
Seriousness; reality; fixed determination; eagerness; intentness.
Take heed that this jest do not one day turn to
earnest
.
Sir P. Sidney.
And given in
earnest
what I begged in jest.
Shakespeare
In earnest
,
serious; seriously; not in jest; earnestly.

Ear′nest

,
Adj.
1.
Ardent in the pursuit of an object; eager to obtain or do; zealous with sincerity; with hearty endeavor; heartfelt; fervent; hearty; – used in a good sense;
as,
earnest
prayers
.
An
earnest
advocate to plead for him.
Shakespeare
2.
Intent; fixed closely;
as,
earnest
attention
.
3.
Serious; important.
[Obs.]
Syn. – Eager; warm; zealous; ardent; animated; importunate; fervent; sincere; serious; hearty; urgent. See
Eager
.

Ear′nest

,
Verb.
T.
To use in earnest.
[R.]
To
earnest
them [our arms] with men.
Pastor Fido (1602).

Ear′nest

,
Noun.
[Prob. corrupted fr. F.
arrhes
, L.
arra
,
arrha
,
arrhabo
, Gr.
ἀρραβών
, of Semitic origin, cf. Heb.
ērāvōn
; or perh. fr. W.
ernes
, akin to Gael.
earlas
, perh. fr. L.
arra
. Cf.
Arles
,
Earles penny
.]
1.
Something given, or a part paid beforehand, as a pledge; pledge; handsel; a token of what is to come.
Who hath also sealed us, and given the
earnest
of the Spirit in our hearts.
2 Cor. i. 22.
And from his coffers
Received the golden
earnest
of our death.
Shakespeare
2.
(Law)
Something of value given by the buyer to the seller, by way of token or pledge, to bind the bargain and prove the sale.
Kent. Ayliffe. Benjamin.
Syn. –
Earnest
,
Pledge
.
These words are here compared as used in their figurative sense. Earnest is not so strong as pledge. An earnest, like first fruits, gives assurance, or at least a high probability, that more is coming of the same kind; a pledge, like money deposited, affords security and ground of reliance for the future. Washington gave earnest of his talent as commander by saving his troops after Braddock’s defeat; his fortitude and that of his soldiers during the winter at Valley Forge might rightly be considered a pledge of their ultimate triumph.

Webster 1828 Edition

Earnest

EARNEST

,
Adj.
ern'est.
1.
Ardent in the pursuit of an object; eager to obtain; having a longing desire; warmly engaged or incited.
They are never more earnest to disturb us, than when they see us most earnest in this duty.
2.
Ardent; warm; eager; zealous; animated; importunate; as earnest in love; earnest in prayer.
3.
Intent; fixed.
On that prospect strange
Their earnest eyes were fixed.
4.
Serious; important; that is, really intent or engaged; whence the phrase, in earnest. To be in earnest, is to be really urging or stretching towards an object; intent on a pursuit. Hence, from fixed attention, comes the sense of seriousness in the pursuit, as opposed to trifling or jest. Are you in earnest or in jest?

EARNEST

,
Noun.
ern'est. Seriousness; a reality; a real event; as opposed to jesting or feigned appearance.
Take heed that this jest do not one day turn to earnest.
And given in earnest what I begg'd in jest.
1.
First fruits; that which is in advance, and gives promise of something to come. Early fruit may be an earnest of fruit to follow. The first success in arms may be an earnest of future success. The christian's peace of mind in this life is an earnest of future peace and happiness. Hence earnest or earnest-money is a first payment or deposit giving promise or assurance of full payment. Hence the practice of giving an earnest to ratify a bargain.
This sense of the word is primary, denoting that which goes before, or in advance. Thus the earnest of the spirit is given to saints, as a pledge or assurance of their future enjoyment of God's presence and favor.

Definition 2024

Earnest

Earnest

See also: earnest

English

Proper noun

Earnest

  1. A male given name, an occasional spelling variant of Ernest.

Anagrams

earnest

earnest

See also: Earnest

English

Noun

earnest ‎(uncountable)

  1. Gravity; serious purpose; earnestness.
    • Sir Philip Sidney
      Take heed that this jest do not one day turn to earnest.
    • Shakespeare
      given in earnest what I begged in jest
  2. Seriousness; reality; actuality (as opposed to jesting or feigned appearance); fixed determination; eagerness; intentness.
Translations
Derived terms

Verb

earnest ‎(third-person singular simple present earnests, present participle earnesting, simple past and past participle earnested)

  1. (transitive) To be serious with; use in earnest.
    • 1602, Pastor Fido:
      Let's prove among ourselves our armes in jest, That when we come to earnest them with men, We may them better use.

Adjective

earnest ‎(comparative earnester or more earnest, superlative earnestest or most earnest)

  1. Serious in speech or action; eager; urgent; importunate; pressing; instant.
  2. Ardent in the pursuit of an object; eager to obtain or do; zealous with sincerity; with hearty endeavour; heartfelt; fervent; hearty; — used in a good sense; as, earnest prayers.
  3. Intent; fixed closely; as, earnest attention.
  4. Possessing or characterised by seriousness; strongly bent; intent.
    an earnest disposition
  5. Strenuous; diligent.
    earnest efforts
  6. Serious; weighty; of a serious, weighty, or important nature; not trifling or feigned; important.
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

Of uncertain origin; apparently related to erres. Compare also arles.

Noun

earnest ‎(plural earnests)

  1. A sum of money paid in advance as a deposit; hence, a pledge, a guarantee, an indication of something to come.
    • KJV, 2 Corinthians 5:5
      Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
    • 1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society 2010, p. 365:
      But if all this was viewed by Gladstone and the Cabinet as an earnest of St Petersburg's future good intentions in Central Asia, then disillusionment was soon to follow.
Translations

See also

Etymology 3

earn +‎ -est

Verb

earnest

  1. (archaic) second-person singular simple present form of earn

Anagrams

Etymology

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”).

Pronunciation

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