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Earnest vs Upbeat - What's the difference?

earnest | upbeat |

As a proper noun earnest

is , an occasional spelling variant of ernest.

As an adjective upbeat is

having a fast pace, tempo, or beat.

As a noun upbeat is

an unaccented beat at the start of a musical phrase.

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

    * * * *

    upbeat

    English

    Alternative forms

    * up-beat

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having a fast pace, tempo, or beat.
    • The notes are easy, but it's an upbeat tune and should be played fairly quickly.
  • Having a positive, lively, or perky tone, attitude, etc.
    • Though he had bad news, he ended with an upbeat forecast for the future.
    He sounded upbeat when I talked to him.

    Antonyms

    * downbeat

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An unaccented beat at the start of a musical phrase.

    • Anagrams

    *