Severe : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: Severe	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for Severe
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
severe adj intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality; "severe pain"; "a severe case of flu"; "a terrible cough"; "under wicked fire from the enemy's guns"; "a wicked cough" Synonym(s): severe, terrible, wicked very strong or vigorous; "strong winds"; "a hard left to the chin"; "a knockout punch"; "a severe blow" Synonym(s): hard, knockout, severe severely simple; "a stark interior" Synonym(s): austere, severe, stark, stern unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment; "a parent severe to the pitch of hostility"- H.G.Wells; "a hefty six-footer with a rather severe mien"; "a strict disciplinarian"; "a Spartan upbringing" Synonym(s): severe, spartan causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm; "a dangerous operation"; "a grave situation"; "a grave illness"; "grievous bodily harm"; "a serious wound"; "a serious turn of events"; "a severe case of pneumonia"; "a life-threatening disease" Synonym(s): dangerous, grave, grievous, serious, severe, life-threatening very bad in degree or extent; "a severe worldwide depression"; "the house suffered severe damage"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Severe \Severe"\, a. [Compar. {Severer}; superl. {Severest}.] [L. severus; perhaps akin to Gr. [?][?][?] awe, [?][?][?] revered, holy, solemn, Goth. swikns innocent, chaste: cf. F. s[82]v[8a]re. Cf. {Asseverate}, {Persevere}.] 1. Serious in feeeling 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. [bd]Custody severe.[b8] --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. [bd]Restrained by reason and severe principles.[b8] --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}. -- {Severe"ly}, adv. -- {Severe"ness}, n.