several

English

Alternative forms

• severall (obsolete)

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɛv(ə)ɹəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: sev‧er‧al, seve‧ral

Adjective

several (comparative more several, superlative most several)

1. (obsolete) Separate, distinct; particular.
   • 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     Here is the will, and under Caesar's seal.
     To every Roman citizen he gives,
     to every several man, seventy-five drachmas.

   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 42, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes , book I, London: Val Simmes for Edward Blount , →OCLC:

     He had a religion apart: a God severall unto himselfe, whom his subjects might no waies adore.

   • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], chapter II, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: , 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, , section i:

     So one thing may be good and bad to several parties, upon diverse occasions.

   • 1852, Washington Irving, Tales from the Alhambra:

     the hearts of the three cavaliers were completely captured, especially as gratitude was added to their admiration; it is a little singular, however, though no less certain, that each of them was enraptured with a several beauty.

   • 1667, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, 1666. , London: Henry Herringman, , →OCLC, (please specify the stanza number):

     Each several ship a victory did gain.

   • 1709, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: W. Lewis , published 1711, →OCLC:

     Each might his several province well command,
     Would all but stoop to what they understand.

2. A number of different; various.
   • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     […] 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 […].

   • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Simulation and Dissimulation”, in The Essayes , 3rd edition, London: Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:

     habits and faculties, several, and to be distinguished

   • 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. , London: T N for Henry Herringman, , published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):

     Four several armies to the field are led.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A Millar, , →OCLC:

     Hence arose a dispute between the learned men, in which each delivered the reasons of their several opinions.

3. (law) Separable, capable of being treated separately.

Derived terms

• have several seats
• joint and several
• several fishery

Determiner

several

1. Consisting of a number more than two but not very many.

   Several cars were in the parking lot.

   They had many journals. I subscribed to several.

   Several of the members were absent.

   • 1784, William Jones, The Description and Use of a New Portable Orrery, &c., preface:

     The favourable reception the Orrery has met with from Perſons of the firſt diſtinction, and from Gentlemen and Ladies in general, has induced me to add to it ſeveral new improvements in order to give it a degree of Perfection; and diſtinguiſh it from others ; which by Piracy, or Imitation, may be introduced to the Public.

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 14, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:

     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.

   • 6 November 2004, The Guardian:

     Several people were killed and around 150 injured after a high-speed train hit a car on a level crossing and derailed tonight.

   • 2013 June 8, “Obama goes troll-hunting”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 55:

     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.

Usage notes

• Some dictionaries and many older grammars put several into the word class 'pronoun' in many of its uses.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• sever

Adverb

several (not comparable)

1. By itself; severally.
   • 1551, Thomas More, “(please specify the Internet Archive page)”, in Raphe Robynson [i.e., Ralph Robinson], transl., A Fruteful, and Pleasaunt Worke of the Best State of a Publyque Weale, and of the Newe Yle Called Utopia: , London: [Steven Mierdman for] Abraham Vele, , →OCLC:

     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. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
3. (archaic) An enclosed or separate place; enclosure. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
4. (archaic) A woman's loose outer garment, capable of being worn as a shawl, or in other forms.

Translations

See also

• Thesaurus:quantifier

References

• “several”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• “several”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Leavers, laveers, leavers, reveals, vealers

Old French

Adjective

several m (oblique and nominative feminine singular severale)

1. separate

Declension

Noun

several oblique singular, m (oblique plural severaus or severax or severals, nominative singular severaus or severax or severals, nominative plural several)

1. one's own property or possession

Related terms

• sevrer
• desevrer

Descendants

• English: several

References

• several on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub