Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
earnings report
earnings surprises
earnings yield
EAROM
earphone
earpiece
earplug
earring
earset
earshot
earsplitting
Earth
earth
earth closet
earth color
Earth Liberation Front
earth mother
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

earnest (2)

ear·nest [ úrnəst ] (plural ear·nests)


noun 
Definition:
 
1. down payment: a small advance payment that confirms a contract ( dated )

2. token of something to come: a sign, foretaste, or pledge of something to come ( literary )

[13th century. Probably alteration of Old French erres "pledges" < Latin arra< Greek arrabōn "pledge" < Hebrew 'ērābhôn< 'ārab "to pledge"]
Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft