n. 1 money paid as an instalment, esp. to confirm a contract etc. 2 a token or foretaste (in earnest of what is to come).
[ ME ernes, prob. var. of erles, arles prob. f. med.L arrhula (unrecorded) f. arr(h)a pledge ]
n. 1 money paid as an instalment, esp. to confirm a contract etc. 2 a token or foretaste (in earnest of what is to come).
[ ME ernes, prob. var. of erles, arles prob. f. med.L arrhula (unrecorded) f. arr(h)a pledge ]
Concise Oxford English dictionary. Краткий оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2012