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.
SEVERITY Se*ver"i*ty, n.; pl. Severities. Etym: [L. severitas: cf. F. sévérité.]
Defn: The quality or state of being severe. Specifically: — (a) Gravity or austerity; extreme strictness; rigor; harshness; as, the severity of a reprimand or a reproof; severity of discipline or government; severity of penalties. "Strict age, and sour severity." Milton. (b) The quality or power of distressing or paining; extreme degree; extremity; intensity; inclemency; as, the severity of pain or anguish; the severity of cold or heat; the severity of the winter. (c) Harshness; cruel treatment; sharpness of punishment; as, severity practiced on prisoners of war. (d) Exactness; rigorousness; strictness; as, the severity of a test. Confining myself to the severity of truth. Dryden.
SEVERY
Sev"er*y, n. Etym: [Prob. corrupted fr. ciborium. Oxf. Gloss.]
(Arch.)
Defn: A bay or compartment of a vaulted ceiling. [Written also civery.]
SEVOCATION
Sev`o*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. sevocare, sevocatum, to call aside.]