资料来源 : pyDict

认真地,一本正经地

资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Earnest \Ear"nest\, n. [AS. eornost, eornest; akin to OHG.
   ernust, G. ernst; cf. Icel. orrosta battle, perh. akin to Gr.
   ? to excite, L. oriri to rise.]
   Seriousness; reality; fixed determination; eagerness;
   intentness.

         Take heed that this jest do not one day turn to
         earnest.                                 --Sir P.
                                                  Sidney.

         And given in earnest what I begged in jest. --Shak.

   {In earnest}, serious; seriously; not in jest; earnestly.

资料来源 : WordNet®

in earnest
     adj : characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity
           of your opinions; "both sides were deeply in earnest,
           even passionate"; "an entirely sincere and cruel
           tyrant"; "a film with a solemn social message" [syn: {earnest},
            {in earnest(p)}, {sincere}, {solemn}]
     adv : in a serious manner; "talking earnestly with his son"; "she
           started studying snakes in earnest"; "a play dealing
           seriously with the question of divorce" [syn: {seriously},
            {earnestly}]