I. ˈverē, -ri adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English verray, verry, from Old French verai, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin veracus, from Latin verac-, verax true, truthful, from verus true; akin to Old English wǣr true, correct, wǣr faith, care, bond of friendship, Old High German wāra bond, trust, care, Old Norse vārar pledge, Old Irish fīr true, Greek ēra (accusative) favor, Old Slavic vĕra faith; basic meaning: care, loyalty
1.
a. : properly entitled to the name or designation : true
very God of very God, begotten not made — Nicene Creed
the fierce hatred of a very woman — J.M.Barrie
b. : actual , real , veritable
whether thou be my very son … or not — Gen 27:21 (Authorized Version)
the very blood and bone of our grammar — H.L.Smith b. 1913
c. : simple , plain
in very truth, life is short — Benjamin Farrington
2.
a. : exact , precise
might be the very condition we seek — H.H.Curtice
is in the very heart of the Irish capital — Gerard MacGowan
b. : exactly suitable or necessary
may be the very thing for the purpose — C.K.Ogden
3.
a. : absolute , utter
the veriest idiot that ever lived — Joseph Conrad
b. : sheer , unqualified
the sailors mutinied from very hunger — T.B.Macaulay
4. — used as an intensive especially to emphasize identity
my very chains and I grew friends — Lord Byron
cause the very rocks to tremble — American Guide Series: Maine
the very language of the churches is becoming unintelligible to them — W.R.Inge
5. : mere , bare
the veriest shadow of a mighty dynasty — W.E.Swinton
the very thought of thee with sweetness fills the breast — Edward Caswall
6. : selfsame , identical
her own mother had once used that very word — Helen Howe
7. : special , particular
the path that led across the roots of his very tree — Nathaniel Hawthorne
Synonyms: see same
II. adverb
Etymology: Middle English verray, from verray, adjective
1. : to a high degree : extremely , exceedingly
a very hot day
sun is very bright
is very much a believer in reason — F.A.Pottle
saw the four of them very plainly — Carson McCullers
is very pleased to edit the … magazine — H.M.McLuhan
towns were very separated from one another — L.D.Stamp
round the corner came a very very nice old lady — Lilian Balch
2. : in actual fact : really , truly
the very best store in town
on the very next page
the very same statement made in different ways — Times Literary Supplement
expected the very opposite result
3. archaic : exactly , precisely
looked as though in her heart she was now, very now, singing the old lines — Llewelyn Powys