Result from Foreign Dictionaries (2 entries found)

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Severe \Se*vere"\, a. [Compar. {Severer}; superl. {Severest}.] [L. severus; perhaps akin to Gr. ??? awe, ??? revered, holy, solemn, Goth. swikns innocent, chaste: cf. F. s['e]v[`e]re. Cf. {Asseverate}, {Persevere}.] 1. Serious in feeling or manner; sedate; grave; austere; not light, lively, or cheerful. [1913 Webster] Your looks alter, as your subject does, From kind to fierce, from wanton to severe. --Waller. [1913 Webster] 2. Very strict in judgment, discipline, or government; harsh; not mild or indulgent; rigorous; as, severe criticism; severe punishment. "Custody severe." --Milton. [1913 Webster] Come! you are too severe a moraler. --Shak. [1913 Webster] Let your zeal, if it must be expressed in anger, be always more severe against thyself than against others. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] The Latin, a most severe and compendious language. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 4. Sharp; afflictive; distressing; violent; extreme; as, severe pain, anguish, fortune; severe cold. [1913 Webster] 5. Difficult to be endured; exact; critical; rigorous; as, a severe test. [1913 Webster] Syn: Strict; grave; austere; stern; morose; rigid; exact; rigorous; hard; rough; harsh; censorious; tart; acrimonious; sarcastic; satirical; cutting; biting; keen; bitter; cruel. See {Strict}. [1913 Webster] -- {Se*vere"ly}, adv. -- {Se*vere"ness}, n. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: severe adj 1: 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" [syn: {severe}, {terrible}, {wicked}] 2: very strong or vigorous; "strong winds"; "a hard left to the chin"; "a knockout punch"; "a severe blow" [syn: {hard}, {knockout}, {severe}] 3: severely simple; "a stark interior" [syn: {austere}, {severe}, {stark}, {stern}] 4: 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" [syn: {severe}, {spartan}] 5: 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" [syn: {dangerous}, {grave}, {grievous}, {serious}, {severe}, {life-threatening}] 6: very bad in degree or extent; "a severe worldwide depression"; "the house suffered severe damage"