in earnest

in earnest
*in earnest
with sincerity. (*Typically: act \in earnest; be \in earnest; speak \in earnest.) •

I've done all the research I need. I spent the day writing the paper in earnest.

•

Mary's comments were in earnest. She really meant them.

* * *
{adv.} or {adj. phr.} Seriously; in a determined way. * /The beaver was building his dam in earnest./ * /Bill did his homework in earnest./ - Often used like a predicate adjective. Sometimes used with "dead", for emphasis. * /Betty's friends thought she was joking when she said she wanted to be a doctor, but she was in dead earnest./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Earnest Evans — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Earnest Evans Desarrolladora(s) Wolf Team Distribuidora(s) Electro Source Diseñador(es) Wolf Team …   Wikipedia Español

  • earnest money — earnest mon·ey n: money used as earnest Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. earnest money …   Law dictionary

  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Earnest money — 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 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. [1913 Webster] An earnest advocate to plead for him.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • earnest payment — index pledge (security) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 earnest payment …   Law dictionary

  • earnest — ear·nest / ər nəst/ n [Anglo French ernes(t) erles, alteration of Old French erres, plural of erre pledge, earnest, alteration of Latin arra, short for arrabo, from Greek arrhabōn, of Semitic origin]: something of value given by a buyer to a… …   Law dictionary

  • Earnest — Ear nest ([ e]r n[e^]st), n. [AS. eornost, eornest; akin to OHG. ernust, G. ernst; cf. Icel. orrosta battle, perh. akin to Gr. orny nai to excite, L. oriri to rise.] Seriousness; reality; fixed determination; eagerness; intentness. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • earnest — earnest1 [ʉr′nist] adj. [ME ernest < OE eornoste < eornost, earnestness, zeal, akin to Ger ernst, seriousness (OHG ernust) < IE base * er , to set oneself in motion, arouse > RUN] 1. serious and intense; not joking or playful; zealous …   English World dictionary

  • Earnest — Ear nest, v. t. To use in earnest. [R.] [1913 Webster] To earnest them [our arms] with men. Pastor Fido (1602). [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Earnest Evans — Éditeur Wolf Team Développeur Wolf Team Date de sortie 1991 Genre action Mode de jeu Un joueur Plate forme …   Wikipédia en Français

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