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Cordial vs Earnest - What's the difference?

cordial | earnest | Related terms |

As adjectives the difference between cordial and earnest

is that cordial is hearty; sincere; warm; affectionate while earnest is serious in speech or action; eager; urgent; importunate; pressing; instant.

As nouns the difference between cordial and earnest

is that cordial is a concentrated noncarbonated soft drink which is diluted with water before drinking while earnest is gravity; serious purpose; earnestness.

As a verb earnest is

to be serious with; use in earnest.

As a proper noun Earnest is

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

cordial

English

(wikipedia cordial)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Hearty; sincere; warm; affectionate.
  • * 1667 , '', 1859, Thomas Keightley (editor), ''The Poems of John Milton , Volume 1, page 381,
    • He, on his side / Leaning half raised, with looks of cordial love / Hung over her enamoured.
  • * 1885 , George Washington Schuyler, Colonial New York: Philip Schuyler and His Family , C. Scribner's Sons,
    • The relations between the Earl of Bellomont and Colonel Schuyler were formal, but not cordial from the first.
  • Said of someone radiating warmth and friendliness; genial.
  • * 1869 , ,
    • The sight of London warmed my heart with various emotions, such as a cordial man must draw from the heart of all humanity.
  • (rare) Tending to revive, cheer, or invigorate; giving strength or spirits.
  • * 1634 , (editor), ''The Poetical Works of John Milton , Volume 3, page 106,
    • And first behold this cordial julep here / That flames and dances in his crystal bounds, / With spirits of balm, and fragrant syrups mix'd.
  • (obsolete) Proceeding from the heart.
  • * 1667 , '', 1957, Merritt Yerkes Hughes (editor), ''Complete Poems and Major Prose , page 373,
    • Who stooping op'n'd my left side, and took / From thence a Rib with cordial spirits warm, / And Life-blood streaming fresh;

    Synonyms

    * heartfelt * (radiating warmth and friendliness) affable, amiable * (tending to revive) cheering, invigorating

    Related terms

    * cordiality * cordially

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (UK, AU, NZ) A concentrated noncarbonated soft drink which is diluted with water before drinking.
  • (UK, AU, NZ) An individual serving of such a diluted drink.
  • A pleasant-tasting medicine.
  • A liqueur prepared using the infusion process.
  • * 1728 , '', Act III, Scene 1, in 1828, ''British Theatre, Comprising Tragedies, Comedies, Operas, and Farces , 827,
    • Lucy . But, miss Polly—in the way of friendship, will you give me leave to propose a glass of cordial to you ?
    Polly . Strong waters are apt to give me the headache.—I hope, madam, you will excuse me?
  • * 1908 , Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables , L. C. Page & Co.
    • [Marilla] had put the bottle of raspberry cordial down in the cellar instead of in the closet [...].
  • A candy (or bonbon) usually made of milk chocolate, filled with small fruits (often maraschino cherries) and syrup or fondant.

    • Hypernyms

    * liqueur

    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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