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Earnest vs Easter - What's the difference?

earnest | easter |

As a proper noun earnest

is , an occasional spelling variant of ernest.

As an adjective easter is

(obsolete) eastern.

earnest

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) ernest, eornest, from (etyl) eornest, eornost, .

Noun

(-)
  • Gravity; serious purpose; earnestness.
  • * Sir Philip Sidney
  • Take heed that this jest do not one day turn to earnest .
  • * Shakespeare
  • given in earnest what I begged in jest
  • Seriousness; reality; actuality (as opposed to jesting or feigned appearance); fixed determination; eagerness; intentness.
  • Derived terms
    * earnestful * in earnest

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To be serious with; use in earnest.
  • * 1602 , Pastor Fido:
  • Let's prove among ourselves our armes in jest, That when we come to earnest them with men, We may them better use.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) eornest, from (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Serious in speech or action; eager; urgent; importunate; pressing; instant.
  • Ardent in the pursuit of an object; eager to obtain or do; zealous with sincerity; with hearty endeavour; heartfelt; fervent; hearty; — used in a good sense; as, earnest prayers .
  • Intent; fixed closely; as, earnest attention .
  • Possessing or characterised by seriousness; strongly bent; intent.
  • an earnest disposition
  • Strenuous; diligent.
  • earnest efforts
  • Serious; weighty; of a serious, weighty, or important nature; not trifling or feigned; important.
  • Derived terms
    * (l) * (l)

    Etymology 3

    Of uncertain origin; apparently related to (erres). Compare also (l).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sum of money paid in advance as a deposit; hence, a pledge, a guarantee, an indication of something to come.
  • * 1990 , (Peter Hopkirk), The Great Game , Folio Society 2010, p. 365:
  • But if all this was viewed by Gladstone and the Cabinet as an earnest of St Petersburg's future good intentions in Central Asia, then disillusionment was soon to follow.

    See also

    * Earnest * earnest money

    Anagrams

    * * * *

    easter

    English

    (wikipedia Easter)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Christianity) A Christian feast commemorating the resurrection of Christ; the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or next after the vernal equinox, neither earlier than March 22 nor later than April 25.
  • We spent each of the past five Easters together as a family.
  • Eastertide
  • (obsolete) The Jewish passover.
  • * 1526 , William Tyndale, trans. Bible , Mark XIV:
  • After two dayes folowed ester , and the dayes of swete breed.
  • (paganism) A festival held in honour of the goddess Eostre or Ostara and celebrated at the spring equinox or within the month of April. Also known as Eostre.
  • See also

    * pace * Pasch * Passover * Passion Sunday * Palm Sunday * Maundy Thursday * Good Friday

    Anagrams

    *