n. [ AS. eornost, eornest; akin to OHG. ernust, G. ernst; cf. Icel. orrosta battle, perh. akin to Gr.
Take heed that this jest do not one day turn to earnest. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]
And given in earnest what I begged in jest. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
In earnest,
a.
An earnest advocate to plead for him. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
They whom earnest lets do often hinder. Hooker.
v. t. To use in earnest. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
To earnest them [ our arms ] with men. Pastor Fido (1602). [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Prob. corrupted fr. F. arrhes, L. arra, arrha, arrhabo, Gr.
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 2 Cor. i. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]
And from his coffers
Received the golden earnest of our death. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Earnest money (Law),
a. Serious. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
adv. In an earnest manner. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. The state or quality of being earnest; intentness; anxiety. [ 1913 Webster ]
An honest earnestness in the young man's manner. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Too earnest. --
See drainable.
See dramatic.
See drinkable.
See durable.
See duteous.
See dutiful.
See earnest.
See eatable.
See ecclesiastical.
See edible.
See elaborate.
See elective.
See elusive.
See emotional.
See emphatic. See employable.
See employable.
See endurable.
See -English.
See entire.
See enviable.
See envious.
See episcopal.
See equable.
See errable.
See escapable.
See evangelical.
See eventful.
See evident.
See exact.
See examinable.
See exceptionable.
See exclusive.
See exemplary.
See exempt.
See exhaustible.
See existent.
See expectable.
See expectant.
See explainable.
See express.
See expressible.
See expugnable.
See extinct.
See factious.
See fadable.
See fain.
See familiar.
See famous.
See fashionable.
See fast.
See fatherly.
See fathomable.
See faulty.
See fearful.
See feasible.
See felicitous.
See felt.
See feminine.
See fermentable.
See festival.
See fine.
See fleshy.
See fluent.
See forcible.
See fordable.
See foreknowable.
See foreseeable.
See forgetful.
See forgivable.
See formal.
See framable.
See fraternal.
See friable.
See frightful.
See frustrable.
See full.
See gainable.
See gainful.
See gallant.
See genial.
See genteel.
See gentle.
See gentlemanlike.
See gentlemanly.
See geometrical.
See ghostly.
See glad.
See godlike.
See good.
See goodly.
See gorgeous.
See grammatical.
See grave.
See guidable.
See guilty.
See habile.
See habitable.
See hale.
See handy.
See hardy.
See harmful.
See hasty.
See hazardous.
See healable.
See healthful.
See healthy.
See heavenly.
See heedful.
See helpful.
See heritable.
[ 1913 Webster ]