King James Bible Dictionary

SEV'ER, verb transitive [There may be a doubt whether sever is derived from the Latin separo. Heb. Ch. Syr. Ar. to break.]

1. To part or divide by violence; to separate by parting or rending; as, to sever the body or the arm at a single stroke.

2. To part from the rest by violence; as, to sever the head from the body.

3. To separate; to disjoin; as distinct things, but united; as the dearest friends severed by cruel necessity.

4. To separate and put in different places or orders.

The angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just.

Matthew 13:49.

5. To disjoin; to disunite; in a general sense, but usually applying violence.

6. To keep distinct or apart.

7. In law, to disunite; to disconnect; to part possession; as, to sever a state in joint-tenacy.

SEV'ER, verb intransitive

1. To make a separation or distinction; to distinguish.

The Lord will sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt.

Exodus 9:4.

2. To suffer disjunction; to be parted or rent assunder.

SEV'ERAL, adjective [from several.]

1. Separate; distinct; not common to two or more; as a several fishery; a several estate. A several fishery is one held by the owner of the soil, or by title derived from the owner. A several estate is one held by a tenant in his own right, or a distinct estate unconnected with any other person.

2. Separate; different; distinct.

Divers sorts of beasts came from several parts to drink. Bacon.

Four several armies to the field are lead. Dryden.

3. Divers; consisting of a number; more than two, but not very many. Several persons were present when the event took place.

4. Separate; single; particular.

Each several ship a victory did gain. Dryden.

5. Distinct; appropriate.

Each might his several province well command,

Would all but stoop to what they understand. Pope.

A joint and several note or bond, is one executed by two or more persons, each of whom is bound to pay the whole, in case the others prove to be insolvent.

SEV'ERAL, noun

1. Each particular, or small number, singly taken.

Several of them neither rose from any conspicuous family, nor left any behing them. Addison.

There was not time enough to hear

The severals- Shak.

[This latter use, in the plural, is now infrequent or obsolete.]

2. An inclosed or separate place; inclosed ground; as, they had their several for the heathen, their several for their own people; put a beast into a several. [These applications are nearly or wholly obsolete.]

In several, in a state of separation.

Where pastures in several be. [Little used.] Tusser.

SEVERAL'ITY, noun Each particular singly taken; distinction. [Not in use.]

SEV'ERALIZE, verb transitive To distinguish. [Not in use.]

SEV'ERALLY, adverb Separately; distinctly; apart from others. Call the men severally by name.

I could not keep my eye steady on them severally so as to number them.

Newton.

To be jointly and severally bound in a contract, is for each obligor to be liable to pay the whole demand, in case the other or others are not able.

SEV'ERALTY, noun A state of separation from the rest, or from all others. An estate in severalty, is that which the tenant holds in his own right, without being joined in interest with any other person. It is distinguished from joint-tenacy, coparcenary and common.

SEV'ERANCE, noun Separation; the act of dividing or disuniting. The sevrance of a jointure is make by destroying the unity of interest. Thus when there are two joint-tenants for life, and the inheritance is purchased by or descends upon either, it is a servrance.

So also when two persons are joined in a writ, and one is nonsuited; in this case sevrance is permitted, and the other plantif may proceed in the suit. So also in assize, when two or more disseizees appear upon the writ, and not the other, sevrance is permitted.

SEVE'RE, adjective [Latin severus.]

1. Rigid; harsh; not mild or indulgent; as severe words; severe treatment; severe wrath.

2. Sharp; hard rigorous.

Let your zeal-be more severe against thyself than against others. Taylor.

3. Very strict; or sometimes perhaps, unreasonably strict or exact; giving no indulgence to faults or errors; as severe government; severe criticism.

4. Rigorous, perhaps cruel; as severe punishment; severe justice.

5. Grave; sober; sedate to an extreme; opposed to cheerful, gay, light, lively.

Your looks must alter, as your subject does,

From kind to fierce, from wanton to severe. Waller.

6. Rigidly exact; strictly methodical; not lax or airy. I will not venture on on so nice a subject with my severe style.

7. Sharp; afflictive; distressing; violent; as severe pain, anguish, torture, etc.

8. Sharp; biting; extreme; as severe cold.

9. Close; concise; not luxuriant.

The Latin, a most severe and compendious language- Dryden.

10. Exact; critical; nice; as a sever test.

SEVE'RELY, adverb

1. Harshly; sharply; as, the chide one severely.

2. Strictly; rigorously; as, to judge one severely.

To be or fondly or severely kind. Savage.

3. With extreme rigor; as, to punish severely.

4. Painfully; effectively; greatly; as, to be severely afflicted the gout.

5. Fiercely; ferociously.

More formidable Hydra stands within,

Whose jaws with iron teeth severely grin. Dryden.

SEV'ERITE, noun A mineral found near St. Sever, in France, occurring in small masses, white without luster, a little harder than lithomarge.

SEVER'ITY, noun [Latin sveritas.]

1. Harshness; rigor; austerity; want of mildness or indulgence; as the severity of a reprimand or reproof.

2. Rigor; extreme strictness; as the severity of discipline or government.

3. Excessive figor; extreme degree or amount. Severity of penalties or punishments often defeats the object by exciting pity.

4. Extremity; quality or power of distressing; as the severity of pain or anguish.

5. Extreme degree; as the severity of cold or heat.

6. Extreme coldness or inclemency; as the severity of the winter.

7. Harshness; cruel treatment; sharpness of punishment; as severity practiced on prisoners of war.

8. Exactness; rigor; niceness; as the severity of a test.

9. Strictness; rigid accuracy.

Confining myself to the severity of truth. Dryden.