Forms: 1 eornust, -ost, -est, 3 eornest, ȝorneste, 3–5 erneste, 3–6 ernest, 5 erneyst, 4–6 ernes, 6 earnes, 6– earnest. [OE. eornust fem. = OHG. ernust fem., neut., MHG. ernest, mod.G. ernst masc., MDu. ernst, aernst (of similar meaning):—OTeut. *ernusti, perh. f. root *ers, found also in ERRE (obs.) anger. A different ablaut form of the same root, with similar suffix, appears to exist in OE. ornest wager of battle, ON. orrosta, late OE. orrest battle.
The form ernes may possibly represent a distinct word:—OE. ʓeornes, (*ʓeornnes) eagerness, strength of desire; cf. EARN v.3; it was however in 15th c. completely identified with the present word.]
† 1. Ardor in battle; in wider sense, intense passion or desire. Obs.
c. 1205. Lay., 16480. Þer wes fehte swiþe stor, eornest ful sturne. Ibid. (c. 1250), 16468. To fihte mid folle ȝorneste.
1297. R. Glouc. (1810), 121. Vortimer with gret power and god ernest ynow.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1285. The hote ernest [v.r. hervest] is al overblowe.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 4840. And whanne they han her lust geten The hoote ernes they al foryeten.
2. Seriousness, serious intention, as opposed to jest or play; esp. in phrase in († for) earnest, in good (sober, sad) earnest. In OE. on eornest means ‘earnestly,’ also ‘in reality.’ In mod. use to be in earnest, applied to persons, has sometimes an emphatic sense = to be earnest.
c. 1000. Wulfstan, Addr. to English, in Sweet, Ags. Reader (ed. 5), 111. Gif we on eornost æniʓe scame cuðan.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 411. Adam is to eue cumen, More for erneste ðan for gamen.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter v. 6. Til perfite man it falles not to leghe nouþer in ernest ne in gamen.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. v. And this contek in ernes and in game Departed was betwixt love and shame. Ibid., I. vi. It is an ernest and no game.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 14/2. Arneste or erneste, seryowste.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, 328. Is it erneste that ye speke?
c. 1535. Dewes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 927. In earnes, a certes, For earnes, pour certes, Of earnes, de certes.
1570. Marriage Wit & Sc., IV. i. in Hazl., Dodsley, II. 362. But in good earnest, madam, speak—off or on?
1636. Rutherford, Lett., lxxv. (1862), I. 193. It were good to be beginning in sad earnest to find out God.
1645. Milton, Colast., Wks. (1851), 373. I deal not now with this caitiff, never worth my earnest, and now not seasonable for my jest.
1729. Bp. Butler, Serm., Self-Deceit, 475. It never in earnest comes into their thoughts.
1745. Wesley, Answ. Ch., 15. I am in great Earnest when I declare once more, that I have a deep conviction.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., II. vi. (1857), 102. It was no feint, but a surprise meditated in good earnest.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 207. Are you in jest or in real earnest?
† b. ME. phrase: Erte(n to ernest: to conduct to a serious result; erte(n in ernest: to bring seriously to pass. [Cf. OHG. uuart giuuentit in guota ernust ‘factus est in agonia’ Graff.]
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2942. Ertes ay to euyll ende & ernyst by the last. Ibid., 11634. For ertyng his exile in ernest.
