different between earnest vs special
earnest
English
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /??n?st/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /???n?st/
- Homophone: Ernest
Etymology 1
From Middle English ernest, eornest, from Old English eornest, eornost, eornust (“earnestness, zeal, seriousness, battle”), from Proto-Germanic *ernustuz (“earnest, strength, solidity, struggle, fight”), a derivative of Proto-Germanic *arniz (“efficient, capable, diligent, sure”), from Proto-Indo-European *er- (“to cause to move, arouse, increase”). Cognate with West Frisian earnst (“earnest, seriousness”), Dutch ernst (“seriousness, gravity, earnest”), German Ernst (“seriousness, earnestness, zeal, vigour”), Icelandic ern (“brisk, vigorous”), Gothic ???????????????????????? (arniba, “secure, certain, sure”).
The adjective is from Middle English eornest, from Old English eornoste (“earnest, zealous, serious”), from the noun. Cognate with North Frisian ernste (“earnest”), Middle Low German ernest, ernst (“serious, earnest”), German ernst (“serious, earnest”).
Noun
earnest (uncountable)
- Gravity; serious purpose; earnestness.
- 1914, February 13, The Times, Obituary: Canon Augustus Jessopp
- He wrote well in a forcible, colloquial style, with the air of being tremendously in earnest, and full of knowledge which overflowed his pages, tricked out with somewhat boisterous illustrations.
- c. 1575-a 1586, Sir Philip Sidney, The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia
- Take heed that this jest do not one day turn to earnest.
- c. 1592, William Shakespeare, Richard III: Act 5, Scene 1
- That high All-Seer which I dallied with
- Hath turn'd my feigned prayer on my head
- And given in earnest what I begg'd in jest.
- 1914, February 13, The Times, Obituary: Canon Augustus Jessopp
- Seriousness; reality; actuality (as opposed to joking or pretence)
Derived terms
- earnestful
- in earnest
Translations
Verb
earnest (third-person singular simple present earnests, present participle earnesting, simple past and past participle earnested)
- (transitive) 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.
- 1602, Pastor Fido:
Adjective
earnest (comparative earnester or more earnest, superlative earnestest or most earnest)
- (said of an action or an utterance) Serious or honest
- (with a positive sense) Focused in the pursuit of an objective; eager to obtain or do.
- Intent; focused; showing a lot of concentration.
- (said of a person or a person's character) Possessing or characterised by seriousness.
- Strenuous; diligent.
- Serious; weighty; of a serious, weighty, or important nature; important.
Derived terms
- earnestly
- earnestness
- in earnest
Translations
Etymology 2
Of uncertain origin; apparently related to erres. Compare also arles.
Noun
earnest (plural earnests)
- A sum of money paid in advance as a deposit; hence, a pledge, a guarantee, an indication of something to come.
- Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
- 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.
Translations
See also
- Earnest
- earnest money
Etymology 3
earn +? -est
Verb
earnest
- (archaic) second-person singular simple present form of earn
Anagrams
- Eastern, Saetern, Tareens, eastern, estrane, nearest, renates, sterane
earnest From the web:
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special
English
Etymology
From Middle English *special, especial, especiall, from Old French especial (whence also French spécial), from Latin specialis (from species, speciei).
Pronunciation
- enPR: sp??sh?l, IPA(key): /?sp?.??l/
- Rhymes: -???l
Adjective
special (comparative more special or specialer, superlative most special or specialest)
- Distinguished by a unique or unusual quality.
- Of particular personal interest or value; dear; beloved.
- (euphemistic) Of or related to disabilities, especially learning or intellectual disabilities.
- Constituting or relating to a species.
- Chief in excellence.
- (military) Of or related to unconventional warfare.
Antonyms
- (distinguished by a unique or unusual quality): common, non-special, ordinary, usual
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
Noun
special (plural specials)
- A reduction in consumer cost (usually for a limited time) for items or services rendered.
- One of a rotation of meals systematically offered for a lower price at a restaurant.
- (broadcasting) Unusual or exceptional episode of a series.
- (Britain, colloquial) A special constable.
- Anything that is not according to normal practice, plan, or schedule, as an unscheduled run of transportation that is normally scheduled.
- Any unlicensed medicine produced or obtained for a specific individual patient.
- (journalism) A correspondent; a journalist sent to the scene of an event to report back.
- (journalism) A dispatch sent back by a special correspondent.
- (theater) A light that illuminates a specific person or thing on the stage.
- 2009, Steven Shelley, A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting (page 132)
- In addition to followspots, there will be three frontlight specials on Autoyokes hung on the truss to provide frontlight specials.
- 2009, Jennifer Bringle, Lighting (page 23)
- The first is a special—a single lighting instrument that lights a particular spot on the stage. Specials generally have no color, or a more saturated color, allowing them to stand out through other lighting onstage.
- 2009, Steven Shelley, A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting (page 132)
Translations
Verb
special (third-person singular simple present specials, present participle specialing or specialling, simple past and past participle specialed or specialled)
- (nursing) To supervise a patient one-on-one.
Anagrams
- epicals, piacles, plaices
Dutch
Etymology
Borrowed from English special.
Pronunciation
- (Netherlands) IPA(key): /?sp?.??l/, /?sp?.??l/
- Hyphenation: spe?ci?al
Noun
special m (plural specials)
- A special broadcast episode.
Related terms
- speciaal
Middle French
Adjective
special m (feminine singular speciale, masculine plural speciaulx, feminine plural speciales)
- special; extraordinary; beyond what is usual
Romanian
Etymology
From French spécial, from Latin specialis.
Adjective
special m or n (feminine singular special?, masculine plural speciali, feminine and neuter plural speciale)
- special
Declension
special From the web:
- what special day is today
- what special day is tomorrow
- what specialty does jo choose
- what special day is it
- what specials does mcdonald's have
- what specialty does izzie choose
- what specialty does lexie choose
- what special days are in july
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