(1)严肃(庄重)的(thoughtful，solemn，not gay or light-hearted，esp of a person's manner，or character)：a～man/appearance/manner/thought/mind一个严肃的人/庄严的仪表/认真的举止/认真的思想/沉重的心情;look/seem very～看上去/好像非常严肃;have a～expression on one's face脸上表情严肃;a～talk about sb's future 严肃地谈到某人的前途;The doctor emerged from the patient's room with a～look on his face.医生从病房出来，脸上表情严肃。Try to be～for a moment.尽量严肃一会儿。〖同〗solemn;〖反〗thoughtless;

(2)认(当)真的，不是开玩笑的，真诚的(in earnest;not joking or speaking causally;sincere)[A (about)]：a～suggestion认真的问题;Are you～?你这话当真?be perfectly～in what one said 对自己说的话十分认真;be very～about the struggle很认真地对待这场斗争;be～about quitting school/becoming an actress 决心休学/做一名演员;Simon is the only one she's been～about.西蒙是唯一她所倾心的人。〖同〗sincere，earnest;〖反〗insincere，joking;

(3)严重的，令人担心的，重大的(giving cause for concern， worry or danger;grave)：a～injury/illness重伤/重病;a～wound/accident严重创伤/重大事故;a～charge/error/trouble 严历指控/重大错误/相当困难;Their error/situation is very～.他们的错误相当严重/形势十分严峻。〖同〗severe，bad;〖反〗slight，minor;

(4)(书籍;音乐等)严肃(非消遣)的((of books，music，etc) intended to make people think，not purely for amusement)[通常作attrib]：～reading/literature/music严肃读物/文学/音乐;a～play/essay/subject严肃剧目/文章/题目;read very～books/works阅读很严肃的书籍;The novel has a～underlying theme.这本小说有一个严肃的主题。

→′seriously adv严肃地，认真地;′seriousness n 严肃，庄重，认真，严重;

【辨异】serious与earnest、resolute、resolution和 sincere的区别见 EARNEST。