Ardency
(Ar"den*cy) n.
1. Heat. [R.] Sir T. Herbert.
2. Warmth of passion or affection; ardor; vehemence; eagerness; as, the ardency of love or zeal.
Ardent
(Ar"dent) a. [OE. ardaunt, F. ardant, p. pr. of arder to burn, fr. L. ardere.]
1. Hot or burning; causing a sensation of burning; fiery; as, ardent spirits, that is, distilled liquors; an ardent
fever.
2. Having the appearance or quality of fire; fierce; glowing; shining; as, ardent eyes. Dryden.
3. Warm, applied to the passions and affections; passionate; fervent; zealous; vehement; as, ardent love,
feelings, zeal, hope, temper.
An ardent and impetuous race.
Macaulay.
Syn. — Burning; hot; fiery; glowing; intense; fierce; vehement; eager; zealous; keen; fervid; fervent; passionate; affectionate.
Ardently
(Ar"dent*ly) adv. In an ardent manner; eagerly; with warmth; affectionately; passionately.
Ardentness
(Ar"dent*ness), n. Ardency. [R.]
Ardor
(Ar"dor) n. [L. ardor, fr. ardere to burn: cf. OF. ardor, ardur, F. ardeur.] [Spelt also ardour.]
1. Heat, in a literal sense; as, the ardor of the sun's rays.
2. Warmth or heat of passion or affection; eagerness; zeal; as, he pursues study with ardor; the fought
with ardor; martial ardor.
3. pl. Bright and effulgent spirits; seraphim. [Thus used by Milton.]
Syn. — Fervor; warmth; eagerness. See Fervor.
Arduous
(Ar"du*ous) a. [L. arduus steep, high; akin to Ir. ard high, height.]
1. Steep and lofty, in a literal sense; hard to climb.
Those arduous paths they trod.
Pope.
2. Attended with great labor, like the ascending of acclivities; difficult; laborious; as, an arduous employment,
task, or enterprise.
Syn. — Difficult; trying; laborious; painful; exhausting. — Arduous, Hard, Difficult. Hard is simpler,
blunter, and more general in sense than difficult; as, a hard duty to perform, hard work, a hard task,
one which requires much bodily effort and perseverance to do. Difficult commonly implies more skill
and sagacity than hard, as when there is disproportion between the means and the end. A work may
be hard but not difficult. We call a thing arduous when it requires strenuous and persevering exertion,
like that of one who is climbing a precipice; as, an arduous task, an arduous duty. "It is often difficult
to control our feelings; it is still harder to subdue our will; but it is an arduous undertaking to control the
unruly and contending will of others."
Arduously
(Ar"du*ous*ly), adv. In an arduous manner; with difficulty or laboriousness.
Arduousness
(Ar"du*ous*ness), n. The quality of being arduous; difficulty of execution.
