SEVER'ITY, n. L. 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.