• noun:   something of value given by one person to another to bind a contract
• adjective:   characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

  Example: "Both sides were deeply in earnest, even passionate"

• adjective:   not distracted by anything unrelated to the goal
• adjective:   earnest
• name:  A male given name (common: 1 in 3225 males; popularity rank in the U.S.: #380)
• name:  A surname (rare: 1 in 33333 families; popularity rank in the U.S.: #4754)

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