Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Serious"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Serious \Se"ri*ous\, a. [L. serius: cf. F. s['e]rieux, LL.
seriosus.]
1. Grave in manner or disposition; earnest; thoughtful;
solemn; not light, gay, or volatile.
He is always serious, yet there is about his manner
a graceful ease. --Macaulay.
2. Really intending what is said; being in earnest; not
jesting or deceiving. --Beaconsfield.
3. Important; weighty; not trifling; grave.
The holy Scriptures bring to our ears the most
serious things in the world. --Young.
4. Hence, giving rise to apprehension; attended with danger;
as, a serious injury.
Syn: Grave; solemn; earnest; sedate; important; weighty. See
{Grave}. -- {Se"ri*ous*ly}, adv. -- {Se"ri*ous*ness}, n.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
serious
adj 1: concerned with work or important matters rather than play or
trivialities; "a serious student of history"; "a
serious attempt to learn to ski"; "gave me a serious
look"; "a serious young man"; "are you serious or
joking?"; "Don't be so serious!" [ant: {frivolous}]
2: of great consequence; "marriage is a serious matter"
3: causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm; "a
dangerous operation"; "a grave situation"; "a grave
illness"; "grievous bodily harm"; "a serious wound"; "a
serious turn of events"; "a severe case of pneumonia"
[syn: {dangerous}, {grave}, {grievous}, {severe}]
4: appealing to the mind; "good music"; "a serious book" [syn:
{good}]
5: completely lacking in playfulness [syn: {unplayful}, {sober}]
[ant: {playful}]
6: requiring effort or concentration; complex and not easy to
answer or solve; "raised serious objections to the
proposal"; "the plan has a serious flaw"
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