earnest

n. 定金, 诚挚, 认真
a. 认真的, 热心的, 重要的
【经】 定金, 保证金, 预示
相关词组:
in sad earnest

名词:earnestness 副词:earnestly 

earnest

adj.（形容词）
Marked by or showing deep sincerity or seriousness:
诚挚的：表现出高度真诚和认真的：
例句：
an earnest gesture of goodwill.
一个表示友好的诚恳的手势

Of an important or weighty nature; grave.See Synonyms at serious
庄严的：重要或有份量的；严肃庄重的参见 serious

<习惯用语>in earnest
With a purposeful or sincere intent:
正经的：带有认真或坚定的目的的：
例句：
settled down to study in earnest for the examination.
坚定决心认真坐下来复习准备考试

Serious; determined:
坚定不移的；严肃的：
例句：
.Both sides are deeply in earnest, with passions that approximate those of civil war.(Conor Cruise O`Brien)
.双方都很坚决认真，象是鼓足劲要打一场内战.(康纳·克鲁斯·奥布赖恩)

来源：
Middle English ernest
中古英语 ernest
from Old English eornoste * see er-
源自 古英语 eornoste *参见 er-

【引伸】
ear.nestly
adv.（副词）
ear.nestness
n.（名词）

---------------另--------------
earnest
earnest 2

n.（名词）
Money paid in advance as part payment to bind a contract or bargain.
订金：提前支付作为缔结一合同或交易的部分支付金
A token of something to come; a promise or an assurance.
保证：某事将至的信号；保证或证言

来源：
Middle English ernest
中古英语 ernest
variant of ernes
ernes的变体
alteration of Old French erres [pl. of] erre [pledge]
古法语 erres的变化 [] erre的复数 [誓言]
from Latin arra
源自 拉丁语 arra
alteration of arrabô
arrabô的变化
from Greek arrabôn [earnest-money]
源自 希腊语 arrabôn [保证金]
from Hebrew `ôr3bôn
源自 希伯来语 `ôr3bôn
from `3rab [to pledge]
源自 `3rab [宣誓]