se·vere

[suh-veer]
adjective, se·ver·er, se·ver·est.
1.
harsh; unnecessarily extreme: severe criticism; severe laws.
2.
serious or stern in manner or appearance: a severe face.
3.
grave; critical: a severe illness.
4.
rigidly restrained in style, taste, manner, etc.; simple, plain, or austere.
5.
causing discomfort or distress by extreme character or conditions, as weather, cold, or heat; unpleasantly violent, as rain or wind, or a blow or shock.
6.
difficult to endure, perform, fulfill, etc.: a severe test of his powers.
7.
rigidly exact, accurate, or methodical: severe standards.

Origin:
1540–50; < Latin sevērus, or back formation from severity

se·vere·ly, adverb
se·vere·ness, noun
o·ver·se·vere, adjective
o·ver·se·vere·ly, adverb
o·ver·se·vere·ness, noun
su·per·se·vere, adjective
su·per·se·vere·ly, adverb
su·per·se·vere·ness, noun
un·se·vere, adjective
un·se·vere·ly, adverb
un·se·vere·ness, noun


2. strict, hard. See stern1. 4. unadorned. 7. demanding, exacting.


1. lenient. 2. gentle.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To severe
00:10
Severe is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
Collins
World English Dictionary
severe (sɪˈvɪə) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  rigorous or harsh in the treatment of others; strict: a severe parent
2.  serious in appearance or manner; stern
3.  critical or dangerous: a severe illness
4.  causing misery or discomfort by its harshness: severe weather
5.  strictly restrained in appearance; austere: a severe way of dressing
6.  hard to endure, perform, or accomplish: a severe test
7.  rigidly precise or exact
 
[C16: from Latin sevērus]
 
se'verely
 
adv
 
se'vereness
 
n
 
severity
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

severe
1540s, from Fr. sévère, from L. severus (see severity).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
In patients who have survived severe brain damage, judging the level of actual
  awareness has proved a difficult process.
If eye pain is severe, see your health care provider to determine the cause of
  light sensitivity.
Although there have also been concerns about windmills killing birds, the
  problem might be more severe for bats.
They have cases that are more severe or less severe.
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