severe

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se·vere

(sə-vîr′)

adj. se·ver·er, se·ver·est

1. Unsparing, harsh, or strict, as in treatment of others: a severe critic.

2. Marked by or requiring strict adherence to rigorous standards or high principles: a severe code of behavior.

3. Stern or forbidding, as in manner or appearance: spoke in a severe voice.

4. Extremely plain in substance or style: a severe black dress.

5. Causing great discomfort, damage, or distress: a severe pain; a severe storm.

6. Very dangerous or harmful; grave or grievous: severe mental illness.

7. Extremely difficult to perform or endure; trying: a severe test of our loyalty.

[Latin sevērus, serious, strict; see segh- in Indo-European roots.]

se·vere′ly adv.

se·vere′ness n.

Synonyms: severe, stern¹, austere, ascetic, strict
These adjectives mean unsparing and exacting with respect to discipline or control. Severe implies adherence to rigorous standards or high principles and often suggests harshness: "Praise or blame has but a momentary effect on the man whose love of beauty in the abstract makes him a severe critic on his own works" (John Keats).
Stern suggests unyielding disposition, uncompromising resolution, or forbidding appearance or nature: "She was a stern woman who ran the household with precision and an iron hand" (Margaret Truman).
Austere connotes aloofness or lack of feeling or sympathy, and often rigid morality: "The captain ... was an austere man that never laughed or smiled that one could see" (Alan Paton).
Ascetic suggests self-discipline and often renunciation of worldly pleasures for spiritual improvement: "Be systematically ascetic ... do ... something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it" (William James).
Strict means requiring or showing stringent observance of obligations, rules, or standards: "She was afraid to wake him up because even in his sleep he seemed to be such a strict man" (Eudora Welty).

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

severe

(sɪˈvɪə)

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]

seˈverely adv

seˈvereness, severity n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

se•vere

(səˈvɪər)

adj. -ver•er, -ver•est.

1. harsh; unnecessarily extreme: severe criticism.

2. serious or stern in manner or appearance.

3. grave; critical: a severe illness.

4. rigidly restrained in style, taste, etc.; plain; austere.

5. of an extreme, intense, or violent character or nature: severe thunderstorms.

6. difficult to endure, perform, fulfill, etc.: a severe test of strength.

7. rigidly exact; demanding: severe standards.

[1540–50; < Latin sevērus, or back formation from severity]

se•vere′ly, adv.

se•vere′ness, n.

syn: See stern¹.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.	1.	severe - 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" terrible, wicked intense - possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree; "intense heat"; "intense anxiety"; "intense desire"; "intense emotion"; "the skunk's intense acrid odor"; "intense pain"; "enemy fire was intense"
	2.	severe - very strong or vigorous; "strong winds"; "a hard left to the chin"; "a knockout punch"; "a severe blow" knockout, hard strong - having strength or power greater than average or expected; "a strong radio signal"; "strong medicine"; "a strong man"
	3.	severe - severely simple; "a stark interior" austere, stark, stern plain - not elaborate or elaborated; simple; "plain food"; "stuck to the plain facts"; "a plain blue suit"; "a plain rectangular brick building"
	4.	severe - 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" spartan nonindulgent, strict - characterized by strictness, severity, or restraint
	5.	severe - 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" grievous, life-threatening, dangerous, grave, serious critical - being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency; "a critical shortage of food"; "a critical illness"; "an illness at the critical stage"
	6.	severe - very bad in degree or extent; "a severe worldwide depression"; "the house suffered severe damage" bad - having undesirable or negative qualities; "a bad report card"; "his sloppy appearance made a bad impression"; "a bad little boy"; "clothes in bad shape"; "a bad cut"; "bad luck"; "the news was very bad"; "the reviews were bad"; "the pay is bad"; "it was a bad light for reading"; "the movie was a bad choice"

severe

adjective

1. serious, critical, terrible, desperate, alarming, extreme, grave, awful, distressing, appalling, dire, drastic, very bad, catastrophic, woeful, ruinous a business with severe cash flow problems

2. acute, extreme, intense, burning, violent, piercing, racking, searing, tormenting, exquisite, harrowing, unbearable, excruciating, agonizing, insufferable, torturous, unendurable He woke up blinded and in severe pain.

3. tough, hard, difficult, taxing, demanding, fierce, punishing, exacting, rigorous, stringent, arduous, unrelenting He had faced an appallingly severe task in the jungle.
tough easy, manageable

4. strict, hard, harsh, cruel, rigid, relentless, drastic, oppressive, austere, Draconian, unrelenting, inexorable, pitiless, unbending, iron-handed This was a dreadful crime and a severe sentence is necessary.
strict easy, lax, lenient, relaxed, tractable

5. grim, serious, grave, cold, forbidding, stern, sober, disapproving, dour, unsmiling, flinty, strait-laced, tight-lipped He had a severe look that disappeared when he smiled.
grim genial, affable

6. plain, simple, austere, classic, restrained, functional, Spartan, ascetic, unadorned, unfussy, unembellished wearing her felt hats and severe grey suits
plain fancy, ornate, embellished, ornamental

7. harsh, cutting, biting, scathing, satirical, caustic, astringent, vitriolic, mordant, unsparing, mordacious The team has suffered severe criticism from influential figures.
harsh kind, gentle, compassionate

8. cold, freezing, extreme, bitter, harsh, bleak The start of the year brought a very severe winter in Britain.

9. violent, wild, extreme, intense, dangerous, fierce, turbulent, forceful, tumultuous, inclement The fence collapsed during the recent severe weather.
violent mild, gentle, moderate

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

severe

adjective

1. Rigorous and unsparing in treating others:

demanding, exacting, hard, harsh, rigid, stern, strict, tough, unyielding.

2. Cold and forbidding:

austere, bleak, dour, grim, hard, harsh, stark.

3. Causing sharp, often prolonged discomfort:

bitter, brutal, hard, harsh, rough.

4. Conveying great physical force:

hard, heavy, hefty, powerful.

5. Having great consequence or weight:

earnest, grave, heavy, momentous, serious, weighty.

6. Causing or marked by danger or pain, for example:

dangerous, grave, grievous, serious.

7. Requiring great or extreme bodily, mental, or spiritual strength:

arduous, backbreaking, burdensome, demanding, difficult, effortful, exacting, exigent, formidable, hard, heavy, laborious, onerous, oppressive, rigorous, rough, taxing, tough, trying, weighty.

Translations

بَسيط، غَيْر مُزَخْرَفشَديد، خَطيرقارِس، لاذِع

příkrýpřísnýstrohývážný

strengvoldsomenkelhårdstærk

scharf schlicht schlimm streng erheblich

severo austero crudo grave serio

ankararajutuimavaikea

austère sévère strict grave rigoureux

komolysúlyosszigorú

alvarlegureinfaldur, látlausharîur, óvæginn

grave severo rigidezza rigido severit...

厳しい

bargsnopietnssmagsstingrsvienkāršs

poważny

severo

суровый

hudstrog

ağırçok kötügösterişsizhoşgörüsüz sade

严厉地严重的朴素的

severe

[sɪˈvɪəʳ] ADJ (severer (compar) (severest (superl)))

1. (= serious) [problem, consequence, damage] → grave, serio; [injury, illness] → grave; [defeat, setback, shortage] → serio; [blow, reprimand] → fuerte, duro; [pain, headache] → fuerte
I suffered from severe bouts of depression → padecía profundas or serias depresiones
many families suffered severe hardship as a consequence → muchas familias sufrieron enormes penurias a consecuencia de ello
we have been under severe pressure to cut costs → nos han presionado mucho para reducir gastos
to suffer a severe loss of blood → sufrir gran pérdida de sangre
severe losses (Fin) → enormes or cuantiosas pérdidas fpl

2. (= harsh) [weather, conditions, winter] → duro, riguroso; [cold] → extremo; [storm, flooding, frost] → fuerte

3. (= strict) [person, penalty] → severo; [discipline] → estricto
I was his severest critic → yo era su crítico más severo
to be severe with sb → ser severo con algn

4. (= austere) [person, appearance, expression] → severo, adusto; [clothes, style] → austero; [hairstyle] → (de corte) serio; [architecture] → sobrio

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

severe

[sɪˈvɪə^r] adj

(= harsh) [punishment, criticism] → sévère; [person, teacher] → sévère; [expression] → sévère
A crime like this deserves a severe punishment → Un tel crime mérite un châtiment sévère.
to be severe with sb → être sévère avec qn
I think you were a little too severe with them → Je trouve que tu as été un peu trop sévère avec eux.

(= serious) [injury, pain, depression] → sévère often before n
a severe shortage of food → une sévère pénurie alimentaire
severe injuries → de sévères blessures

(= extreme) [winter] → rigoureux/euse
Winters here can be very severe → Les hivers peuvent être très rigoureux ici.
a period of severe weather (high winds, rain) → une période de gros temps; (very cold) → un coup de froid

(= plain) → sévère, austère
a severe grey suit → un sévère costume gris

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

severe

adj (+er)

(= grave, grievous) defeat, hardship, damage, pressure → schwer; illness, injury, blow, loss → schwer, schlimm; pain → stark, heftig; problem → schwer, ernsthaft; consequence → schwerwiegend, schwer wiegend; to have a severe cold → eine schwere Erkältung haben

(= strict) critic, law, punishment, test → hart; penalty → schwer(wiegend), schwer (wiegend); discipline → streng, eisern; reprimand, criticism → scharf

(= harsh) weather → rau; weather conditions → schwer, schwierig; winter → streng, hart; frost, drought → schwer, schlimm; storm → schwer, stark

(= grim, serious) person, manner → streng; expression → ernst; to be severe with somebody → streng mit jdm sein; to be severe on somebody → hart über jdn urteilen

(= austere) clothes, appearance, hairstyle, architecture, style → streng

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

severe

[sɪˈvɪəʳ] adj (-r (comp) (-st (superl))) (problem, case, flooding, injuries) → grave; (climate, winter, restrictions) → rigido/a; (frost, cold) → intenso/a; (punishment, person) → severo/a; (examination) → rigoroso/a; (damage) → ingente; (blow, criticism) → duro/a; (pain, headache, pressure) → forte; (symptoms) → acuto/a
to be severe (with sb) → essere severo/a (con qn)
a severe cold → un forte raffreddore

severe

(səˈviə) adjective

1. (of something unpleasant) serious; extreme. severe shortages of food; a severe illness; Our team suffered a severe defeat.

2. strict or harsh. a severe mother; severe criticism.

3. (of style in dress etc) very plain. a severe hairstyle.

seˈverely adverb

seˈverity (-ˈve-) noun

the severity of the punishment; the severity of her dress.

severe

a. grave, severo-a;

___ acute respiratory syndrome → síndrome respiratorio agudo ___.

severe

adj severo

References in classic literature ?

Bears on natural selection -- The term used in a wide sense -- Geometrical powers of increase -- Rapid increase of naturalised animals and plants -- Nature of the checks to increase -- Competition universal -- Effects of climate -- Protection from the number of individuals -- Complex relations of all animals and plants throughout nature -- Struggle for life most severe between individuals and varieties of the same species; often severe between species of the same genus -- The relation of organism to organism the most important of all relations.

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Severe, the overseer, used to stand by the door of the quarter, armed with a large hickory stick and heavy cowskin, ready to whip any one who was so unfortunate as not to hear, or, from any other cause, was prevented from being ready to start for the field at the sound of the horn.

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"A thing to be considered of in both is their receiving of punishments, and I am now reminded that the girl Irene (whom I take in this matter to be your mouthpiece) complains that I am not sufficiently severe with David, and do leave the chiding of him for offences against myself to her in the hope that he will love her less and me more thereby.

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With all this my good reader will doubtless agree; but much of it will probably seem too severe, when applied to the slanderer of books.

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But the cold, severe glance with which he had looked at her when he came to tell her he was going had wounded her, and before he had started her peace of mind was destroyed.

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The servant caught a severe cold, but he never changed his color or complexion.

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Thereupon the Policeman left the man in a fit and attacked the Citizen, who, after receiving several severe contusions, ran away.

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But I have one want which I have never yet been able to satisfy, and the absence of the object of which I now feel as a most severe evil, I have no friend, Margaret: when I am glowing with the enthusiasm of success, there will be none to participate my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, no one will endeavour to sustain me in dejection.

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But it was no use --I did all I could; sat up with him nights; was very severe with him in the matter of diet-- Oh, very severe!

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She had had difficulties of every sort to contend with, and in addition to these distresses had been afflicted with a severe rheumatic fever, which, finally settling in her legs, had made her for the present a cripple.

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The severe schooling I gave myself was not without its immediate use.

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When at last she learned from Tom that Maggie had come home, and gathered from him what was her explanation of her absence, she burst forth in severe reproof of Tom for admitting the worst of his sister until he was compelled.