Se‐vere″ (?), a. [Compar.Severer (?); superl.Severest.] [L. severus; perhaps akin to Gr. ��� awe, ��� revered, holy, solemn, Goth. swikns innocent, chaste: cf. F. sévère. Cf. Asseverate, Persevere.] 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.” Milton.
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.” Jer. Taylor.
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.