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Integrity vs Earnest - What's the difference?

integrity | earnest |

As nouns the difference between integrity and earnest

is that integrity is steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code while earnest is gravity; serious purpose; earnestness.

As a verb earnest is

to be serious with; use in earnest.

As an adjective earnest is

serious in speech or action; eager; urgent; importunate; pressing; instant.

As a proper noun Earnest is

a given name derived from Germanic, an occasional spelling variant of Ernest.

integrity

English

(wikipedia integrity)

Noun

  • Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
  • The state of being wholesome; unimpaired
  • The quality or condition of being complete; pure
  • (cryptography) With regards to data encryption, ensuring that information is not altered by unauthorized persons in a way that is not detectable by authorized users.
  • (aviation) The ability of a system to provide timely warnings to users when they should not be used for navigation.

    • Derived terms

    * integrous (very rare)

    Synonyms

    (Synonyms) * honesty * uprightness * rectitude * unity * wholeness * purity * goodness * probity * sincerity * virtue * decency

    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

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