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. 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