Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Severity
Se-ver′i-ty
,Noun.
pl.
Severities
(#)
. [L.
severitas
: cf. F. sévérité
.] The quality or state of being severe.
Specifically: –(a)
Gravity or austerity; extreme strictness; rigor; harshness;
“Strict age, and sour severity.” as, the
. severity
of a reprimand or a reproof; severity
of discipline or government; severity
of penaltiesMilton.
(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 testConfining myself to the
severity
of truth. Dryden.
Webster 1828 Edition
Severity
SEVER'ITY
,Noun.
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.