Dictionary

in earnest en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Mid-Atlantic, US) audio

Etymology

Dates back at least to Old English on eornost, of the same meaning of the adverbial sense below.

Meanings

1. Sincere; determined; truthful.
   • Samuel was stern, serious and deeply in earnest. He seldom smiled and never laughed. He was uncompromisingly religious, conscientious and morally unbending. 1916, Elbert Hubbard, “Samuel Adams”, in Little Journeys Vol. 3: American Statesmen:
   • "I wasn't in earnest. I only brought it in joke." 1841 February–November, Charles Dickens, “Barnaby Rudge. Chapter 29.”, in Master Humphrey’s Clock, volume III, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC:
   • She replied, "When did I ever tell you a lie ? I am in earnest." 1845, Caroline Kirkland, Western Clearings, Wiley and Putnam, page 104:

Translations (6)

es sincero (sincere; determined; truthful) · cmn 誠懇的 /诚恳的 (sincere; determined; truthful) · eo serioza (sincere; determined; truthful) · fi vakavissaan (sincere; determined; truthful) · fi tosissaan (sincere; determined; truthful) · de ernsthaft (sincere; determined; truthful)

in earnest en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (Mid-Atlantic, US) audio

Etymology

Dates back at least to Old English on eornost, of the same meaning of the adverbial sense below.

Meanings

1. With considerable commitment, determination, or effect; significantly.
   • It's snowing in earnest right now.
   • He spoke in earnest of the importance of achieving academic excellence as well as winning football games. 1995 December 27, Guerry Clegg, “Mason era ends quickly at Georgia”, in Gainesville Sun, retrieved 20 Aug 2010, page 2C:
   • The dawn of the oil age was fairly recent. Although the stuff was used to waterproof boats in the Middle East 6,000 years ago, extracting it in earnest began only in 1859 after an oil strike in Pennsylvania. The first barrels of crude fetched $18 (around $450 at today’s prices). 2013 August 3, “Yesterday’s fuel”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8847:
   • But I see that if I were to live in a wilderness I should again be tempted to become a fisher and hunter in earnest. 1854, Henry David Thoreau, chapter 11, in Walden:
   • The gentlemen wear swords, and may easily have pistols in their pockets—most likely have, indeed. If they fire at each other without effect, then they’ll draw, and go to work in earnest. 1841, Charles Dickens, chapter 11, in Barnaby Rudge:
   • The Northern Alliance attacked in earnest on Friday night, and the Afghan Taliban soldiers immediately switched sides, while their commanders jumped into pickup trucks and sped south. 2001 November 14, Alex Perry, “Eyewitness: The Taliban Undone”, in Time:
2. Having a sincere intent. (of a person)
   • "I haven't got it, yet," he told her, while she was behind the screen, above which, as she dressed, there now and then were flutters of swung garments. "But I'll find someone. If you're really in earnest about this-you are, aren't you?" 1913, Edward Marshall, The Master of the House, G.W. Dillingham Company, page 19:
   • He was talking in earnest, even though his speech carried an ironic tone.

Forms

Translations (25)

az ciddi (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · pt a sério (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · cmn 真誠的 /真诚的 (having a sincere intent) · fr sincèrement (having a sincere intent) · pt seriamente (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · pl na serio (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · pt sinceramente (having a sincere intent) · it sul serio (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · ru всерьёз (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · fr sérieusement (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · az ciddi olaraq (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · hu derekasan (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · pl na poważnie (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · cmn 認真地 /认真地 (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · eo serioza (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · fi rehellisesti (having a sincere intent) · hu igazán (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · pl szczerze (having a sincere intent) · fi tosissaan (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · az ciddi surətdə (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · fi tosissaan (having a sincere intent) · es sinceramente (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · de ernsthaft (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · hu komolyan (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect) · fi kunnolla (with considerable commitment, determination, or effect)