• Several

    Pronunciation

    • IPA: /ˈsÉ›v(É™)ɹəl/
    • Hyphenation: sev + er + al

    Alternative forms

    Origin

    From Anglo-Norman several, from Medieval Latin sēparālis, from Latin sēpar ("separate").

    Full definition of several

    Determiner

    1. Separate, distinct; particular. 15th-19th century
      • 1603, John Florio, trans. Michel de Montaigne, Essays, I.42:He had a religion apart: a God severall unto himselfe, whom his subjects might no waies adore.
      • 1621, Robert Burton (scholar), The Anatomy of Melancholy, II.i.4.2:So one thing may be good and bad to several parties, upon diverse occasions.
      • 2013-06-01, Ideas coming down the track, A “moving platform” scheme...is more technologically ambitious than maglev trains even though it relies on conventional rails. Local trains would use side-by-side rails to roll alongside intercity trains and allow passengers to switch trains by stepping through docking bays. This set-up solves several problems .
      • DrydenEach several ship a victory did gain.
      • Alexander PopeEach might his several province well command,
        Would all but stoop to what they understand.
    2. A number of different; various. (Now merged into later senses, below) from 16th century
      • 1610, , by William Shakespeare, act 3 scene 1... for several virtues
        Have I lik'd several women; never any
        With so full soul but some defect in her
        Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd,
        And put it to the foil ...
      • Francis Baconhabits and faculties, several, and to be distinguished
      • DrydenFour several armies to the field are led.
    3. Consisting of a number more than two or three but not very many; diverse. from 17th century
      • 1784, William Jones, The Description and Use of a New Portable Orrery, &c., preface:The favourable reception the Orrery has met with from PerÅ¿ons of the firÅ¿t diÅ¿tinction, and from Gentlemen and Ladies in general, has induced me to add to it Å¿everal new improvements in order to give it a degree of Perfection; and diÅ¿tinguiÅ¿h it from others ; which by Piracy, or Imitation, may be introduced to the Public.
      • 1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess Chapter 14, Just under the ceiling there were three lunette windows, heavily barred and blacked out in the normal way by centuries of grime. Their bases were on a level with the pavement outside, a narrow way which was several feet lower than the road behind the house.
      • 2004, The Guardian, 6 Nov 2004:Several people were killed and around 150 injured after a high-speed train hit a car on a level crossing and derailed tonight.
      • 2013-06-08, Obama goes troll-hunting, The solitary, lumbering trolls of Scandinavian mythology would sometimes be turned to stone by exposure to sunlight. Barack Obama is hoping that several measures announced on June 4th will have a similarly paralysing effect on their modern incarnation, the patent troll.

    Adverb

    several

    1. By itself; severally.
      • Robynson (More's Utopia)Every kind of thing is laid up several in barns or storehouses.

    Noun

    several

    (plural severals)
    1. (obsolete) An area of land in private ownership (as opposed to common land).
    2. Each particular taken singly; an item; a detail; an individual.
    3. (archaic) An enclosed or separate place; enclosure.
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