Meaning

noun something of value given by one person to another to bind a contract

adjective characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

adjective earnest

originFrom Middle English ernest, eornest, from Old English eornest, eornost, eornust (“earnestness, zeal, seriousness, battle”), from Proto-Germanic *ernustuz (“earnest, strength, solidity, struggle, fight”), a derivative of Proto-Germanic *arniz (“efficient, capable, diligent, sure”), from Proto-Indo-European *er- (“to cause to move, arouse, increase”). Cognate with West Frisian earnst (“earnest,…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0