In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
SEVERE
dangerous, grave, grievous, serious, severe, life-threatening
(adjective) causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm; “a dangerous operation”; “a grave situation”; “a grave illness”; “grievous bodily harm”; “a serious wound”; “a serious turn of events”; “a severe case of pneumonia”; “a life-threatening disease”
severe
(adjective) very bad in degree or extent; “a severe worldwide depression”; “the house suffered severe damage”
severe, spartan
(adjective) unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment; “a parent severe to the pitch of hostility”- H.G.Wells; “a hefty six-footer with a rather severe mien”; “a strict disciplinarian”; “a Spartan upbringing”
severe, terrible, wicked
(adjective) intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality; “severe pain”; “a severe case of flu”; “a terrible cough”; “under wicked fire from the enemy’s guns”; “a wicked cough”
austere, severe, stark, stern
(adjective) severely simple; “a stark interior”
hard, knockout, severe
(adjective) very strong or vigorous; “strong winds”; “a hard left to the chin”; “a knockout punch”; “a severe blow”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Adjective
severe (comparative severer or more severe, superlative severest or most severe)
Very bad or intense.
Strict or harsh.
Sober, plain in appearance, austere.
Synonyms
• brutal
• extreme
• hard
• harsh
• intense
• rigorous
• serious
• heavy
Antonyms
• (very bad or intense): mild
• (very bad or intense): minor
• (strict or harsh): lenient
Anagrams
• Reeves, everse, reeves, servee
Proper noun
Severe (plural Severes)
A surname.
Statistics
• According to the 2010 United States Census, Severe is the 15409th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 1901 individuals. Severe is most common among White (47.61%) and Black/African American (46.71%) individuals.
Anagrams
• Reeves, everse, reeves, servee
Source: Wiktionary
Se*vere", a. [Compar. Severer; superl. Severest.] Etym: [L. severus; perhaps akin to Gr. swikns innocent, chaste: cf. F. sévère. Cf. Asseverate, Persevere.]
1. Serious in feeeling or manner; sedate; grave; austere; not light, lively, or cheerful. Your looks alter, as your subject does, From kind to fierce, from wanton to severe. Waller.
2. Very strict in judgment, discipline, or government; harsh; not mild or indulgent; rigorous; as, severe criticism; severe punishment. "Custody severe." Milton. Come! you are too severe a moraler. Shak. Let your zeal, if it must be expressed in anger, be always more severe against thyself than against others. Jer. Taylor.
3. Rigidly methodical, or adherent to rule or principle; exactly conformed to a standard; not allowing or employing unneccessary ornament, amplification, etc.; strict; -- said of style, argument, etc. "Restrained by reason and severe principles." Jer. Taylor. The Latin, a most severe and compendious language. Dryden.
4. Sharp; afflictive; distressing; violent; extreme; as, severe pain, anguish, fortune; severe cold.
5. Difficult to be endured; exact; critical; rigorous; as, a severe test.
Syn.
– Strict; grave; austere; stern; morose; rigid; exact; rigorous; hard; rough; harsh; censorious; tart; acrimonious; sarcastic; satirical; cutting; biting; keen; bitter; cruel. See Strict.
– Se*vere"ly, adv.
– Se*vere"ness, n.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
23 January 2025
LEFT
(adjective) being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the west when facing north; “my left hand”; “left center field”; “the left bank of a river is bank on your left side when you are facing downstream”
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