Se·ri·ous a.
  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.
  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.
  ◄ ►
  seriously
       adv 1: in a serious manner; "talking earnestly with his son"; "she
              started studying snakes in earnest"; "a play dealing
              seriously with the question of divorce" [syn: earnestly,
               in earnest]
       2: to a severe or serious degree; "fingers so badly frozen they
          had to be amputated"; "badly injured"; "a severely
          impaired heart"; "is gravely ill"; "was seriously ill"
          [syn: badly, severely, gravely]