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several

 - 4 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.
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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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Word Origin & History

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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Legal Dictionary

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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