adj.
Pronunciation: ' ver- ē , ' ve-r ē
Function: adjective
Inflected Form: veri · er ; -est
Etymology: Middle English verray, verry, from Anglo-French verai, from Vulgar Latin *veracus, alteration of Latin verac-, verax truthful, from verus true; akin to Old English w ǣ r true, Old High German w ā ra trust, care, Greek ē ra (acc.) favor
Date: 13th century
1 a : properly entitled to the name or designation : TRUE <the fierce hatred of a very woman ― J. M. Barrie> b : ACTUAL , REAL <the very blood and bone of our grammar ― H. L. Smith † 1972> c : SIMPLE , PLAIN <in very truth>
2 a : EXACT , PRECISE <the very heart of the city> b : exactly suitable or necessary <the very thing for the purpose>
3 a : ABSOLUTE , UTTER <the veriest fool alive> b : UNQUALIFIED , SHEER <the very shame of it>
4 ― used as an intensive especially to emphasize identity <before my very eyes>
5 : MERE , BARE <the very thought terrified him>
6 : being the same one : SELFSAME <the very man I saw>
7 : SPECIAL , PARTICULAR <the very essence of truth is plainness and brightness ― John Milton>
synonyms see SAME