STERN

stern, strict, exacting

(adjective) severe and unremitting in making demands; “an exacting instructor”; “a stern disciplinarian”; “strict standards”

austere, stern

(adjective) of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect; “an austere expression”; “a stern face”

grim, inexorable, relentless, stern, unappeasable, unforgiving, unrelenting

(adjective) not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty; “grim determination”; “grim necessity”; “Russia’s final hour, it seemed, approached with inexorable certainty”; “relentless persecution”; “the stern demands of parenthood”

austere, severe, stark, stern

(adjective) severely simple; “a stark interior”

stern, after part, quarter, poop, tail

(noun) the rear part of a ship

buttocks, nates, arse, butt, backside, bum, buns, can, fundament, hindquarters, hind end, keister, posterior, prat, rear, rear end, rump, stern, seat, tail, tail end, tooshie, tush, bottom, behind, derriere, fanny, ass

(noun) the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on; “he deserves a good kick in the butt”; “are you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?”

Stern, Isaac Stern

(noun) United States concert violinist (born in Russia in 1920)

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology 1

Adjective

stern (comparative sterner, superlative sternest)

Having a hardness and severity of nature or manner.

Grim and forbidding in appearance.

Etymology 2

Noun

stern (plural sterns)

(nautical) The rear part or after end of a ship or vessel.

(figurative) The post of management or direction.

The hinder part of anything.

The tail of an animal; now used only of the tail of a dog.

Synonyms

• (of a ship): poop

Antonyms

• bow

Etymology 3

Noun

stern (plural sterns)

A bird, the black tern.

Anagrams

• 'rents, Ernst, Snert, nerts, rents, snert, terns

Proper noun

Stern (plural Sterns)

A surname.

Anagrams

• 'rents, Ernst, Snert, nerts, rents, snert, terns

Source: Wiktionary


Stern, n. Etym: [AS. stearn a kind of bird. See Starling.] (Zoöl.)

Definition: The black tern.

Stern, a. [Compar. Sterner; superl. Sternest.] Etym: [OE. sterne, sturne, AS. styrne; cf. D. stuurish stern, Sw. stursk refractory. *166.]

Definition: Having a certain hardness or severity of nature, manner, or aspect; hard; severe; rigid; rigorous; austere; fixed; unchanging; unrelenting; hence, serious; resolute; harsh; as, a sternresolve; a stern necessity; a stern heart; a stern gaze; a stern decree. The sterne wind so loud gan to rout. Chaucer. I would outstare the sternest eyes that look. Shak. When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept; Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. Shak. Stern as tutors, and as uncles hard. Dryden. These barren rocks, your stern inheritance. Wordsworth.

Syn.

– Gloomy; sullen; forbidding; strict; unkind; hard-hearted; unfeeling; cruel; pitiless.

Stern, n. Etym: [Icel. stjorn a steering, or a doubtful AS. steĂłrn. *166. See Steer, v. t.]

1. The helm or tiller of a vessel or boat; also, the rudder. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. (Naut.)

Definition: The after or rear end of a ship or other vessel, or of a boat; the part opposite to the stem, or prow.

3. Fig.: The post of management or direction. And sit chiefest stern of public weal. Shak.

4. The hinder part of anything. Spenser.

5. The tail of an animal; -- now used only of the tail of a dog. By the stern. (Naut.) See By the head, under By.

Stern, a.

Definition: Being in the stern, or being astern; as, the stern davits. Stern board (Naut.), a going or falling astern; a loss of way in making a tack; as, to make a stern board. See Board, n., 8 (b).

– Stern chase. (Naut.) (a) See under Chase, n. (b) A stern chaser.

– Stern chaser (Naut.), a cannon placed in a ship's stern, pointing backward, and intended to annoy a ship that is in pursuit.

– Stern fast (Naut.), a rope used to confine the stern of a ship or other vessel, as to a wharf or buoy.

– Stern frame (Naut.), the framework of timber forms the stern of a ship.

– Stern knee. See Sternson.

– Stern port (Naut.), a port, or opening, in the stern of a ship.

– Stern sheets (Naut.), that part of an open boat which is between the stern and the aftmost seat of the rowers, -- usually furnished with seats for passengers.

– Stern wheel, a paddle wheel attached to the stern of the steamboat which it propels.stern wheeler.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




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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