All 14 Uses of

earnest

in

The Idiot

"Yes, Nicolai Andreevitch—that was his name," and the young fellow looked earnestly and with curiosity at the all-knowing gentleman with the red nose.†
Chpt 1.1 *

earnestly = sincerely or seriously

"What a power!" cried Adelaida suddenly, as she earnestly examined the portrait over her sister's shoulder.†
Chpt 1.7

I'll show that I'm in earnest!" cried Rogojin, working himself up into a frenzy of excitement.†
Chpt 1.10

in earnest = serious; or in a serious manner

He took a knife, and when his friend turned his back, he came up softly behind, raised his eyes to heaven, crossed himself, and saying earnestly—'God forgive me, for Christ's sake!' he cut his friend's throat like a sheep, and took the watch.†
Chpt 2.4

earnestly = sincerely or seriously

So ended Aglaya; and, to look at her, it was difficult, indeed, to judge whether she was joking or in earnest.†
Chpt 2.6

in earnest = serious; or in a serious manner

At times I have imagined that all men were the same," he continued earnestly, for he appeared to be much interested in the conversation, "and that consoled me in a certain degree, for a DOUBLE motive is a thing most difficult to fight against.†
Chpt 2.11

earnestly = sincerely or seriously

However, he stopped immediately on seeing that the other was really hurt, and the conversation continued, very earnestly, for an hour or more.†
Chpt 2.11

The prince observed that Alexandra appeared to be angry with Evgenie, because he spoke on a serious subject in a frivolous manner, pretending to be in earnest, but with an under-current of irony.†
Chpt 3.1

in earnest = serious; or in a serious manner

In the evening sincere and frank," repeated Lebedeff, earnestly.†
Chpt 3.4

earnestly = sincerely or seriously

And then—is all this a joke on her part, or is she in earnest?†
Chpt 4.5

in earnest = serious; or in a serious manner

She begs you earnestly not to go out of the house for a single moment all to-day, until seven o'clock in the evening.†
Chpt 4.8

earnestly = sincerely or seriously

All we know is, that the marriage really was arranged, and that the prince had commissioned Lebedeff and Keller to look after all the necessary business connected with it; that he had requested them to spare no expense; that Nastasia herself was hurrying on the wedding; that Keller was to be the prince's best man, at his own earnest request; and that Burdovsky was to give Nastasia away, to his great delight.†
Chpt 4.9

earnest = sincere or serious

All he did, however, was to ask Vera very earnestly to knock at his door and awake him in time for the first train to Petersburg next morning.†
Chpt 4.10

earnestly = sincerely or seriously

Definition:

characterized by sincere belief

or:

intensely or excessively serious or determined