earnest

adj

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”).

1. Serious, sincere, ingenuous.
2. Focused in the pursuit of an objective; honestly eager to obtain or do.

   “earnest prayers”

3. Intent; focused; showing a lot of concentration.

   “earnest attention”

4. Possessing or characterised by seriousness.

   “an earnest disposition”

5. Strenuous; diligent.

   “earnest efforts”

6. Serious; weighty; of a serious, weighty, or important nature; important.

name

1. A male given name from the Germanic languages, of occasional usage, variant of Ernest.

noun

Etymology: Uncertain; apparently related to erres. Compare also arles.

1. A sum of money paid in advance as a deposit; hence, a pledge, a guarantee, an indication of something to come.

   “Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.”

   “As therefore the morning devv, is a pavvne of the evenings fatneſſe, ſo, O Lord, let this daies comfort be the earneſt of to morrowes, […]”

verb

Etymology: Etymology tree English earn Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Indo-European *-tHós Proto-Indo-European *-istHos Proto-Germanic *-istaz Proto-West Germanic *-ist Old English -est Middle English -est English -est English earnest From earn + -est.

1. second-person singular simple present indicative of earn