Harshness; rigor; austerity; want of mildness or indulgence; as the severity of a reprimand or reproof.

Rigor; extreme strictness; as the severity of discipline or government.

Excessive figor; extreme degree or amount. Severity of penalties or punishments often defeats the object by exciting pity.

Extremity; quality or power of distressing; as the severity of pain or anguish.

Extreme degree; as the severity of cold or heat.

Extreme coldness or inclemency; as the severity of the winter.

Harshness; cruel treatment; sharpness of punishment; as severity practiced on prisoners of war.

Exactness; rigor; niceness; as the severity of a test.

Strictness; rigid accuracy. Confining myself to the severity of truth. Dryden .