earnest

adjective

1. serious in intention, purpose, or effort; sincerely zealous: an earnest worker.
2. showing depth and sincerity of feeling: earnest words; an earnest entreaty.
3. seriously important; demanding or receiving serious attention.

noun

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

noun

1. a portion of something, given or done in advance as a pledge of the remainder.
2. Law. earnest money.
3. anything that gives pledge, promise, or indication of what is to follow.

adjective

1. serious in mind or intentionan earnest student
2. showing or characterized by sincerity of intentionan earnest promise
3. demanding or receiving serious attention

noun

4. seriousness
5. in earnest with serious or sincere intentions

noun

1. a part or portion of something given in advance as a guarantee of the remainder
2. Also called: earnest money contract law something given, usually a nominal sum of money, to confirm a contract
3. any token of something to follow; pledge; assurance

adj.

from Old English eornoste (adj.) “zealous,” or from Old English noun eornost “seriousness, serious intent” (surviving only in the phrase in earnest), from Proto-Germanic *ern “vigor, briskness” (cf. Old Saxon ernust, Old High German arnust “seriousness, firmness, struggle,” German Ernst “seriousness;” Gothic arniba “safely, securely;” Old Norse ern “able, vigorous,” jarna “fight, combat”). The proper name Ernest (literally “resolute”) is from the same root. Related: Earnestly; earnestness.

see in earnest.