To mourn is to feel or express sorrow or grief over something. The verb lament also conveys sorrow, but sorrow tinged with regret. To lament something is to be deeply saddened by it and, perhaps with a degree of frustration, to wish it were not so. This verb is commonly used to talk about loss, either of people or of items deemed valuable for a specific purpose. One might also lament an unfortunate turn of events.

Something that is done earnestly is done with deep and sincere feeling. Something that is done solemnly is done in a serious, formal, or ceremonial manner, and perhaps also in a way that is legally binding. This somber adverb conveys a sense of weighty importance, and is overwhelmingly used with the verb swear, as in the U.S. presidential oath of office: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

The noun spunk refers to one’s spirit or pluck and suggests a lively determination. This term has a fiery background, literally, entering English referring first to a spark and then to ignitable wood or tinder. The far less combustible noun gumption refers to courage and guts. It might take gumption, for instance, to quit a high-paying job. It’s not a stretch to say that gumption is more grounded than spunk, since gumption also implies a resourcefulness and even shrewd common sense in solving problems or getting things done.