Definition of earnest

exculpate Definition: (verb) to free from blame or guilt. Petersons.com

Add Word of the Day to your personalized My Yahoo! page: About My Yahoo! and RSS »

Email this page to a friend

< earned run average

earnest >

ear·nest ¹    (ûrnst) KEY  

ADJECTIVE:

1. Marked by or showing deep sincerity or seriousness: an earnest gesture of goodwill.
2. Of an important or weighty nature; grave. See Synonyms at serious.

IDIOM:
in earnest

1. With a purposeful or sincere intent: settled down to study in earnest for the examination.
2. Serious; determined: "Both sides are deeply in earnest, with passions that approximate those of civil war" (Conor Cruise O'Brien).

---

ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English ernest, from Old English eornoste; see er- ¹ in Indo-European roots

OTHER FORMS:
earnest·ly (Adverb), earnest·ness (Noun)

Visit our partner's site

	Provided by Houghton Mifflin eReference -- Download this interactive reference software to your desktop computer

Search Dictionary:

More on Yahoo! Education

• Online and On-Campus Degree Programs     MBAs  -  Technology Management  -  Education  -  Health  -  More  • College & Grad School - A Comprehensive Guide     College Search  -  Test Prep  -  Application Tips  -  Scholarship Search