Marked by care and persistent effort:
— Sedulous pursuit of legal and moral principles.

synonym: assiduous.

Roget 682: active, brisk, brisk as a lark, brisk as a bee; lively, animated, vivacious; alive, alive and kicking; frisky, spirited, stirring.    nimble, nimble as a squirrel; agile; light-footed, nimble-footed; featly^†, tripping.    quick, prompt, yare^†, instant, ready, alert, spry, sharp, smart; fast etc. (swift) 274; quick as a lamplighter, expeditious; awake, broad awake; go-ahead, live wide-awake [U.S.] etc. (intelligent) 498.    forward, eager, strenuous, zealous, enterprising, in earnest; resolute etc. 604.    industrious, assiduous, diligent, sedulous, notable, painstaking; intent etc. (attention) 457; indefatigable etc. (persevering) 604.1; unwearied; unsleeping^†, never tired; plodding, hard-working etc. 686; businesslike, workaday.    bustling; restless, restless as a hyena; fussy, fidgety, pottering; busy, busy as hen with one chicken.    working, at work, on duty, in harness; up in arms; on one's legs, at call; up and doing, up and stirring.    busy, occupied; hard at work, hard at it; up to one's ears in, full of business, busy as a bee, busy as a one-armed paperhanger.    meddling etc. v.; meddlesome, pushing, officious, overofficious^†, intrigant^†.    astir, stirring; agoing^†, afoot; on foot; in full swing; eventful; on the alert, etc. (vigilant) 459.    ... show more

Roget 865: desirous; desiring etc. v.; inclined etc. (willing) 602; partial to; fain, wishful, optative^†; anxious, wistful, curious; at a loss for, sedulous, solicitous.    craving, hungry, sharp-set, peckish^†, ravening, with an empty stomach, esurient^†, lickerish^†, thirsty, athirst, parched with thirst, pinched with hunger, famished, dry, drouthy^†; hungry as a hunter, hungry as a hawk, hungry as a horse, hungry as a church mouse, hungry as a bear.    [excessively desirous] greedy etc. 817.1. unsatisfied, unsated, unslaked; unsaturated.    eager, avid, keen; burning, fervent, ardent; agog; all agog; breathless; impatient etc. (impetuous) 825; bent on, intent on, set on, bent upon, intent upon, set upon; mad after, enrage, rabid, dying for, devoured by desire.    aspiring, ambitious, vaulting, skyaspiring, high-reaching.    desirable; desired etc. v.; in demand; pleasing etc. (giving pleasure) 829; appetizing, appetible^†; tantalizing.    ... show more