Earnest \Ear"nest\, a.
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. --Shak.
2. Intent; fixed closely; as, earnest attention.
3. Serious; important. [Obs.]
They whom earnest lets do often hinder. --Hooker.
Syn: Eager; warm; zealous; ardent; animated; importunate;
fervent; sincere; serious; hearty; urgent. See Eager.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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Earnest \Ear"nest\, n. [AS. eornost, eornest; akin to OHG.
ernust, G. ernst; cf. Icel. orrosta battle, perh. akin to Gr.
? 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. --Shak.
In earnest, serious; seriously; not in jest; earnestly.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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Earnest \Ear"nest\, n. [Prob. corrupted fr. F. arrhes, L. arra,
arrha, arrhabo, Gr. 'arrabw`n, of Semitic origin, cf. Heb.
[=e]r[=a]v[=o]n; 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. --Shak.
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.
Earnest money (Law), money paid as earnest, to bind a
bargain or to ratify and prove a sale.
Syn: Earnest, Pledge.
Usage: 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.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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