SEVERAL


Meaning of SEVERAL in English

I. ˈsev(ə)rəl, esp before a vowel -vərl adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin separalis, from Latin separ separate (from separare to separate) + -alis -al — more at separate

1.

a. archaic : having a separate existence : separate , apart

must do it … as a person several from them — John Milton

b.

(1) obsolete : privately or individually owned or controlled

a several plot — Shakespeare

— opposed to common

(2) : possessed by or attributed to specified individuals : respective

having thirteen children which somewhat reduced their several inheritances — Lucien Price

will call the members for their several opinions — T.R.Ybarra

c. : being a separate member of a group, class, or series : individually different within a type

elegance of diction was … the result of her knowledge of three several tongues — Elinor Wylie

d.

(1) : being of different kinds : diverse , various

one of the several effects of the postwar changes — Taylor Cole

threw his several mercantile ventures into the hands of creditors — Frank Monaghan

(2) obsolete : made up of different elements : diversely composed

e. : of or relating separately to each individual of two or more tenants, persons, or parties involved (as in a contract or a suit) : severable

a several judgment may be had on a couterclaim … when judgment may be rendered for the plaintiff, or all of the plaintiffs, if more than one, or for the defendant, or all of the defendants, if more than one — S.J.Ervin

specifically : enforceable separately against each party

the contractual liability of each company to insured is several and not joint — R.E.Keeton

— compare joint 2b(3), joint and several

2.

a. : more than one

b. : consisting of an indefinite number more than two and fewer than many usually of the same class or group

were around 75 … men present but only several women — Linda Braidwood

a sojourn of several months in England — G.H.Genzmer

have had several children — W.J.Ghent

c. chiefly dialect : being a good many : many

several young men … run into a worse extreme — Jonathan Swift

Synonyms: see distinct

II. noun

( -s )

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from several, adjective

1.

a. archaic : land that is privately owned or controlled ; specifically : an enclosed plot of such land

b. obsolete : private property or ownership

2. obsolete

a. : something that is particular : an individual part : particular , detail — usually used in plural

the severals and unhidden passage of his true titles — Shakespeare

b. severals plural : individual persons or things

3. severals plural , chiefly dialect : several persons or things

- in several

III. adverb

Etymology: several (I)

archaic : by itself : severally , separately

IV. pronoun, plural in construction

Etymology: several (I)

1. : an indefinite number more than two and fewer than many

several of the alumni have served on the board of trustees — Bulletin of Meharry Medical College

goes to the store for oranges and purchases several

2. chiefly dialect : a good many : many

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.