Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Intentness or zeal in the pursuit of anything; eagerness; strong or eager desire; energetic striving: as, to seek or ask with earnestness; to engage in a work with earnestness.
- noun Anxious care; solicitude; strength of feeling; seriousness: as, a man of great earnestness; the charge was maintained with much earnestness.
- noun Synonyms 1. Zeal, Enthusiasm, etc. See
eagerness .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun The state or quality of being earnest; intentness; anxiety.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The quality of being
earnest ;sincerity ;seriousness .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun the trait of being serious
- noun an earnest and sincere feeling
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Since there is a certain earnestness and intensity ...
Liliana Rodrigues: Behind the Lens of Dutch Photographer Anton Corbijn Liliana Rodrigues 2010
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Since there is a certain earnestness and intensity ...
Liliana Rodrigues: Behind the Lens of Dutch Photographer Anton Corbijn Liliana Rodrigues 2010
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Since there is a certain earnestness and intensity ...
Liliana Rodrigues: Behind the Lens of Dutch Photographer Anton Corbijn Liliana Rodrigues 2010
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Kev, I tend tend be jovial by nature but I do not accept that earnestness is the same as seriousness.
A Fire Raging in Islington Newmania 2007
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It could use a little more wisecracking and a little less breathless earnestness, but breathless earnestness is just so you!!!!
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It was well for the success of Mac's first crusade that his hearers were gentlemen and sober, so his outburst was not received with jeers or laughter but listened to in silence, while the expression of the faces changed from one of surprise to regret and respect, for earnestness is always effective and championship of this sort seldom fails to touch hearts as yet unspoiled.
Rose in Bloom 1876
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And what deep earnestness is conveyed by the redoubling of this title!
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Human prudence is not willing to perform every duty in earnestness and humility, and trust the rest to Providence.
The Mother's Book 1831
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May I, in the name of and for the sake of Empire solidarity and unity, which I assure you in all earnestness is as dear to me as I know it is to you, pray to you to try to see through the maze of misrepresentation, misunderstanding and misconception, often deliberately built around India, and to refrain from saying or doing that which may at this crucial moment of our history, when the fate of India hangs in the balance, harm the very interest so dear to our hearts.
New India 1946
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The worrying and earnestness is my job — the playing and innocence is Miss Baby’s.
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