Ear″nest (?), n. [AS. eornost, eornest; akin to OHG. ernust, G. ernst; cf. Icel. orrosta battle, perh. akin to Gr. � to excite, L. oriri to rise.] Seriousness; reality; fixed determination; eagerness; intentness.
Take heed that this jest do not one day turn to earnest. Sir P. Sidney.
And given in earnest what I begged in jest. Shak.
In earnest, serious; seriously; not in jest; earnestly.