Forms: 3 dat. or acc. ernesse, 4 ernes, eernes, 5 ernys, 5–6 ernest, (5 arneste), 6– earnest. [Of obscure etymology: presumably connected with the synonymous erles (see ARLES), ERRES (a. OFr. erres pl.); possibly it was altered from these after the analogy of derivatives in -NESS.
The alleged OF. ernes, frequently given as the etymon, is spurious (Prof. Paul Meyer); the Welsh ernes is borrowed from Eng. At an early period app. confused with EARNEST sb.1, the notion being that an ‘earnest’ was so called as showing that a bargain was made ‘in earnest.’]
1. Money, or a sum of money, paid as an instalment, esp. for the purpose of securing a bargain or contract. Also fig. A foretaste, instalment, pledge, of anything afterwards to be received in greater abundance. † Phrase, On (in, for) earnest: by way of earnest, as an instalment or foretaste.
The lit. sense is now nearly confined to law-books, and the fig. use, which retains its currency chiefly on account of its occurrence in the Bible, has almost ceased to be consciously metaphorical.
a. 1225. Juliana, 17. Nu þu schalt on alre earst as on ernesse swa beon ibeaten wið bittere besmen.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., I. 142. Crist toke ernes here in þis world. Ibid., III. 61. He hadde answere of God, þat was eernes herto.
1424. R. Flore, in E. E. Wills (1882), 59. I haue paied him a noble on ernest.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 14/2. Arneste or hanselle [or ernest H. P., ansal K.].
1463. Mann. & Househ. Exp., 157. Item, my mastyr payd to hym in ernest that schuld make my ladys cloke, iijs. iiijd.
1499. Nottingham Borough Rec. MS. 1378. 5. Reseyved of ernys iijd.
1509. Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1874), II. 115. Thy ernest is layde, the bargen must abyde. It may nat be broke.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 685. As ye see,… after all bargaines, there is a signe thereof made, eyther clapping of hands … or giving some earnest.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., I. v. 65. It is an earnest of a farther good.
1633. T. Adams, Exp. 2 Peter i. 2. 232. An earnest seales the bargaine.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 432, ¶ 12. The Earnest given me of something further intended in my Favour.
1800. A. Addison, Reports, 133. Plaintiff paid a guinea earnest.
1814. Wordsw., Excursion, I. The primrose flower Peeped forth, to give an earnest of the Spring.
a. 1830. Mackintosh, T. More, Wks. 1846, I. 397. The enthusiastic admiration with which the superior few feel an earnest of their own higher powers.
1845. Stephen, Laws Eng. (1874), II. 69. If such portion be accepted by way of earnest.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., xcvii. The days she never can forget Are earnest that he loves her yet.
b. Comb., earnest-money, -giver, EARNEST-PENNY.
1557. in Turner, Records of Oxford, 266. The ernyst money of the towne rents.
1616. Sir R. Boyle, in Lismore Papers (1886), I. 136. I delivered … to Capn Wm Hull xxli ster: as earnest money to bwy casks for ffumadoes.
1697. Vanbrugh, Prov. Wife, III. i. 32. I’m none of your earnest givers.
1826. Kent, Comm. Amer. Law (1873), II. xxxix. 493–5. If, therefore, earnest money be given,… the contract is binding.
† 2. Cant. (See quot.) Obs.
1673. R. Head, Canting Acad., 37. Tip me my Earnest, Give me my Share or Divident.
1725. New Cant. Dict.
