Eager, a.
Etymology: [OE. egre sharp, sour, eager, OF. agre, aigre, F. aigre, fr. L. acer sharp, sour, spirited, zealous; akin to Gr. a point; fr. a root signifying to be sharp. Cf. Acrid, Edge.]
1. Sharp; sour; acid. [Obs.] "Like eager droppings into milk." Shak.
2. Sharp; keen; bitter; severe. [Obs.] "A nipping and an eager air." "Eager words." Shak.
3. Excited by desire in the pursuit of any object; ardent to pursue, perform, or obtain; keenly desirous; hotly longing; earnest; zealous; impetuous; vehement; as, the hounds were eager in the chase. And gazed for tidings in my eager eyes. Shak. How eagerly ye follow my disgraces! Shak. When to her eager lips is brought Her infant's thrilling kiss. Keble. A crowd of eager and curious schoolboys. Hawthorne. Conceit and grief an eager combat fight. Shak.
4. Brittle; inflexible; not ductile. [Obs.] Gold will be sometimes so eager, as artists call it, that it will as little endure the hammer as glass itself. Locke.
1 more senses
Syn. -- Earnest; ardent; vehement; hot; impetuous; fervent; intense; impassioned; zealous; forward. See Earnest. -- Eager, Earnest. Eager marks an excited state of desire or passion; thus, a child is eager for a plaything, a hungry man is eager for food, a covetous man is eager for gain. Eagerness is liable to frequent abuses, and is good or bad, as the case may be. It relates to what is praiseworthy or the contrary. Earnest denotes a permanent state of mind, feeling, or sentiment. It is always taken in a good sense; as, a preacher is earnest in his appeals to the conscience; an agent is earnest in his solicitations.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Eager, n.
Same as Eagre.
Shades of meaning
One is eager who impatiently desires to accomplish some end; one is earnest with a desire that is less impatient, but more deep, resolute, and constant; one is anxious with a desire that foresees rather the pain of disappointment than the delight of attainment. One is eager for the gratification of any appetite or passion; he is earnest in conviction, purpose, or character. Eager usually refers to some specific and immediate satisfaction, earnest to something permanent and enduring; the patriotic soldier is earnest in his devotion to his country, eager for a decisive battle.
Prepositions
Eager for (more rarely after) favor, honor, etc.; eager in pursuit.