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several - 7 dictionary results

sev⋅er⋅al

  [sev-er-uhl, sev-ruhl]
Use several in a Sentence
–adjective
1. being more than two but fewer than many in number or kind: several ways of doing it.
2. respective; individual: They went their several ways.
3. separate; different: several occasions.
4. single; particular.
5. Law. binding two or more persons who may be sued separately on a common obligation.
–noun
6. several persons or things; a few; some.
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME < AF < ML sēparālis, equiv. to L sēpar separate + -ālis -al 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To several
sev·er·al   (sěv'ər-əl, sěv'rəl)   
adj.  
  1. Being of a number more than two or three but not many: several miles away.
  2. Single; distinct: "Pshaw! said I, with an air of carelessness, three several times" (Laurence Sterne).
  3. Respectively different; various: They parted and went their several ways. See Synonyms at distinct.
  4. Law Relating separately to each party of a bond or note.
pron.   (used with a pl. verb)
An indefinite but small number; some or a few: Several of the workers went home sick.

[Middle English, separate, from Anglo-Norman, from Medieval Latin sēparālis, sēperālis, from Latin sēpar, from sēparāre, to separate; see separate.]
sev'er·al·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Several

Sev"er*al\, a. [OF., fr. LL. separalis, fr. L. separ separate, different. See Sever, Separate.]

1. Separate; distinct; particular; single.

Each several ship a victory did gain. --Dryden.

Each might his several province well command, Would all but stoop to what they understand. --Pope.

2. Diverse; different; various. --Spenser.

Habits and faculties, several, and to be distinguished. --Bacon.

Four several armies to the field are led. --Dryden.

3. Consisting of a number more than two, but not very many; divers; sundry; as, several persons were present when the event took place.

Several

Sev"er*al\, adv. By itself; severally. [Obs.]

Every kind of thing is laid up several in barns or storehoudses. --Robynson (More's Utopia).

Several

Sev"er*al\, n. 1. Each particular taken singly; an item; a detail; an individual. [Obs.]

There was not time enough to hear . . . The severals. --Shak.

2. Persons oe objects, more than two, but not very many.

Several of them neither rose from any conspicuous family, nor left any behind them. --Addison.

3. An inclosed or separate place; inclosure. [Obs.]

They had their several for heathen nations, their several for the people of their own nation. --Hooker.

In several, in a state of separation. [R.] "Where pastures in several be." --Tusser.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : several
Spanish: varios,
German: mehrere,
Japanese: いくつかの
More Translations »

several 
1422, "existing apart," from Anglo-Fr. several, from M.Fr. seperalis "separate," from L. separe (ablative of *separ "distinct"), back formation from separare "to separate" (see separate). Meaning "various, diverse, different" is attested from 1508; that of "more than one" is from 1531, originally in legal use.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: sev·er·al
Function: adjective
Etymology: Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin separalis, from Latin separ separate
1 a : of or relating separately to each individual involved; specifically : enforceable separately against each party several duty> —see also several liability at LIABILITY 2b several obligation at OBLIGATION b : being separately or individually responsible, liable, or obligated several obligor> —compare JOINT
2 : separate or distinct from one another several States —U.S. Constitution article I> —sev·er·al·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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