SEVERELY

badly, severely, gravely, seriously

(adverb) 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”

hard, severely

(adverb) causing great damage or hardship; “industries hit hard by the depression”; “she was severely affected by the bank’s failure”

sternly, severely

(adverb) with sternness; in a severe manner; “‘No,’ she said sternly”; “peered severely over her glasses”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adverb

severely (comparative more severely, superlative most severely)

In a severe manner.

Source: Wiktionary


SEVERE

Se*vere", a. [Compar. Severer; superl. Severest.] Etym: [L. severus; perhaps akin to Gr. swikns innocent, chaste: cf. F. sévÚre. 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



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Word of the Day

25 November 2024

ONCHOCERCIASIS

(noun) infestation with slender threadlike roundworms (filaria) deposited under the skin by the bite of black fleas; when the eyes are involved it can result in blindness; common in Africa and tropical America


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, the largest coffee shop is the Al Masaa Café, which has 1,050 seats. The coffee shop was inaugurated in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 13 August 2014.

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