Se·vere a. [Compar. Severer superl. Severest.]
1. Serious in feeling 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.”
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.”
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.
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severely
adv 1: 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"
[syn: badly, gravely, seriously]
2: with sternness; in a severe manner; "`No,' she said
sternly"; "peered severely over her glasses" [syn: sternly]
3: causing great damage or hardship; "industries hit hard by
the depression"; "she was severely affected by the bank's
failure" [syn: hard]