I.serious, grave, strict, austere, stern, severe in aspect, demeanor, conduct, etc. (of persons and things; serius regularly only of things; v. serius; class. and freq.).
I. Of persons: “nam te omnes saevom severumque commemorant,” Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 6: “quam severus!” Ter. Heaut. 5, 3, 21; id. Eun. 2, 1, 21: “civis severus et gravis,” Cic. Lael. 25, 95; cf.: “omnium gravissimus et severissimus, etc.,” id. de Or. 2, 56, 228: “Tubero (Stoicus) vitā severus,” id. Brut. 31, 117; cf.: “Stoicorum secta severissima,” Quint. 1, 10, 15: “agricolae,” hardended by toil, rugged, Lucr. 5, 1357: “Cures,” Verg. A. 8, 638: “Zethus,” Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 42; cf. in comp.: “rumores senum severiorum,” Cat. 5, 2.—Of those who live a sober and temperate life: “at vos hinc abite, lymphae, Vini pernicies et ad severos Migrate,” Cat. 27, 6: “adimam cantare severis,” Hor. Ep. 1, 19, 10; 1, 5, 13: “legis custodes,” Cic. Div. in Caecil. 5, 18: neque severus esse (potest) in judicando, qui alios in se severos esse judices non vult, id. Imp. Pomp. 13, 38; so, “judices severi in eos solos,” id. Clu. 20, 56; cf.: “severissimos atque integerrimos judices,” Cic. Verr. 1, 10, 30: “ex familiā ad judicandum severissimā,” id. ib.: “ubi haec severus te palam laudaveram,” Hor. Epod. 11, 19: “auctor e severissimis,” Plin. 11, 52, 114, § 274: “Aristolaus e severissimis pictoribus fuit,” id. 35, 11, 40, § 137 (for which, just before: austerior colore).—
B. In a bad sense, harsh, rough, crabbed, rigid, severe (rare): “Neptunus saevus severusque,” Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 6: “idem acerbe severus in filium,” Cic. Off. 3, 31, 112 dub. (a passage bracketed by B. and K.): “in me severior quam in vos,” Liv. 7, 40, 7; Plin. Ep. 9, 13, 21: “Eumenidum turba,” Prop. 4 (5), 11, 22. cf. II. B.—
II. Of things, grave, serious, severe, austere, etc.: “severā fronte curas cogitans,” Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 46: “vultus severior et tristior,” Cic. de Or. 2, 71, 289; cf. Hor. A. P 107: “frons,” Ov. Tr. 2, 241: Falernum, rough, sharp, tart (syn. austerum), Hor. C. 1, 27, 9: “divaeque (Palladis) severas Fronde ligare comas,” Stat. Achill. 1, 288: “animus (opp. mitis),” Quint. 3, 9, 7: “disciplina maxime severa,” id. 1, 2, 5: “imperia severiora,” Cic. Tusc. 4, 19, 43: “judicia severa,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 59, § 133: “lex,” Ov. P. 3, 3, 57: “severiora judicia,” Quint. 4, 2, 122: “severiores leges,” id. 12, 1, 40; cf.: “Lycurgus severissimarum justissimarumque legum auctor,” Vell. 1, 6, 3: “imperii severissimi vir,” Liv. 4, 26: “quod ego dixi per jocum, Id eventurum esse et severum et serium,” Plaut. Poen. 5, 3, 51: “linque severa,” Hor. C. 3, 8, 28: “paulo severior poena,” Sall. C. 51, 15.—Of style: “sententiae graves et severae,” Cic. Brut. 95, 325: “triste et severum genus dicendi,” id. ib. 30, 113; so Quint. 2, 4, 6; 6, 3, 102; 9, 4, 63 sq.; 10, 1, 131 al.; cf.: “severae Musa tragoediae,” Hor. C. 2, 1, 9: “fidibus voces crevere severis,” id. A. P. 216.—
B. Severe, dreadful, gloomy: “severus Uncus abest,” Hor. C. 1, 35, 19: “silentia noctis,” Lucr. 4, 460: “heims,” Quint. Decl. 4, 14: “amnem Cocyti metuet,” Verg. G. 3, 37; cf. absol.: Si. Accurrite, Ne se interimat ... Me. Hau! voluisti istuc severum facere? this horrible deed, Plaut. Cist. 3, 15 (but in Lucr. 5, 35 the correct read. is pelage sonora; v. Lachm. ad h. l.).—Hence, adv., in three forms, severe (class.), severiter (anteand post-class.), and severum (post-class.).
A. sĕvērē , gravely, seriously, austerely, rigidly, severely, Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 19: “graviter et severe voluptatem secernit a bono,” id. Fin. 2, 8, 24: “vetuit (with graviter),” Quint. 11, 3, 148: “uti judicio,” id. 1, 3, 4: “aestimatae lites,” Cic. Mur. 20, 42; 25, 51: “vindicare Hiempsalis mortem,” Sall. J. 15, 3: “dicere,” Cic. Off. 1, 37, 134; Quint. 6, 3, 101; 8, 3, 40: “domesticam disciplinam regere,” Suet. Caes. 48.—Comp.: “ad aliquem severius scribere,” Caes. B. C. 3, 25: “adhibere aliquem,” Cic. Att. 10, 12, 3: “coërcere matrimonia,” Just. 3, 3, 8. —Sup.: “sunt qui voluptatem severissime contemnant,” Cic. Off. 1, 21, 71; so, “exacta aetas,” id. Rosc. Com. 15, 44: “dicere jus,” Suet. Caes. 43.—
B. sĕvērĭter , gravely, seriously, severely: sermonem cum aliquo conferre, Titin. ap. Non. 509, 33; and in Prisc. p. 1010 P.; Plaut., acc. to Prisc. 1. 1.; App. M. 2, p. 126, 33.—*
