Active vs Earnest - What's the difference?
active | earnest | Related terms |
Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives.
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Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble.
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In action; actually proceeding; working; in force; — opposed to quiescent, dormant, or extinct.
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# Being an active volcano.
Given to action; constantly engaged in action; energetic; diligent; busy; — opposed to dull, sluggish, indolent, or inert.
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*:This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking.He was smooth-faced, and his fresh skin and well-developed figure bespoke the man in good physical condition through active exercise, yet well content with the world's apportionment.
Requiring or implying action or exertion;—opposed to sedentary or to tranquil.
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Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative; — opposed to speculative or theoretical.
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Brisk; lively.
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Implying or producing rapid action.
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About verbs.
#Applied to a form of the verb; — opposed to passive. See active voice.
#Applied to verbs which assert that the subject acts upon or affects something else; transitive.
#Applied to all verbs that express action as distinct from mere existence or state.
(lb) (of a homosexual man) enjoying a role in anal sex in which he penetrates, rather than being penetrated by his partner.
Gravity; serious purpose; earnestness.
* Sir Philip Sidney
* Shakespeare
Seriousness; reality; actuality (as opposed to jesting or feigned appearance); fixed determination; eagerness; intentness.
To be serious with; use in earnest.
* 1602 , Pastor Fido:
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.
Strenuous; diligent.
Serious; weighty; of a serious, weighty, or important nature; not trifling or feigned; important.
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:
Active is a related term of earnest.
As a verb active
is .As a proper noun earnest is
, an occasional spelling variant of ernest.active
English
Adjective
(en adjective)Synonyms
* (1): acting * (2): agile, nimble * (3): in action, in force, working * (4): busy, deedful, diligent, energetic * (6): operative, practical * (7): brisk, lively * (9.2): transitive * (10): top * See alsoAntonyms
* (1): passive * (2): indolent, lethargic * (3): dormant, extinct, quiescent * (4): dull, indolent, inert, sluggish * (5): sedentary, tranquil * (6): speculative, theoretical * (7): slow * (9.1): passive * (10): passive, bottomDerived terms
* cloud-activeSee also
* versatile (in relation to sense 10 )External links
* * 1000 English basic words ----earnest
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) ernest, eornest, from (etyl) eornest, eornost, .Noun
(-)- Take heed that this jest do not one day turn to earnest .
- given in earnest what I begged in jest
Derived terms
* earnestful * in earnestVerb
(en verb)- 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)- an earnest disposition
- earnest efforts
Derived terms
* (l) * (l)Etymology 3
Of uncertain origin; apparently related to (erres). Compare also (l).Noun
(en noun)- 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.