several
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsɛv(ə)ɹəl/
Forms: form: more several
form: most several
form: severall
Etymology: From Anglo-Norman several, from Medieval Latin sēparālis, from Latin sēpar (“separate”). By surface analysis, sever + -al. Not related to severe.
Senses: examples: text: Here is the will, and under Caesar's seal.
 To every Roman citizen he gives,
 to every several man, seventy-five drachmas.
ref: 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
text: He had a religion apart: a God severall unto himselfe, whom his subjects might no waies adore.
ref: 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 42, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
text: So one thing may be good and bad to several parties, upon diverse occasions.
ref: 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], chapter II, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, , section i:
text: 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.
ref: 1852, Washington Irving, Tales from the Alhambra:
text: Each several ship a victory did gain.
ref: 1667, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, 1666. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, (please specify the stanza number):
text: Each might his several province well command,
 Would all but stoop to what they understand.
ref: 1711 May, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: […] W[illiam] Lewis […]; and sold by W[illiam] Taylor […], T[homas] Osborn[e] […], and J[ohn] Graves […], →OCLC:
glosses: Separate, distinct; particular.
examples: text: […]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[…].
ref: 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
text: habits and faculties, several, and to be distinguished
ref: 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Simulation and Dissimulation”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
text: Four several armies to the field are led.
ref: 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):
text: Hence arose a dispute between the learned men, in which each delivered the reasons of their several opinions.
ref: 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
text: In the midſt of all this buſtle, I was ſtruck with the appearance of a large bevy of beauties and women of the firſt fashion, who with all the perfect confidence of good breeding, inſhrined themſelves in the ſeveral temples dedicated to the Cyprian Venus[.]
ref: 1755, Adam Fitz-Adam, The World, number CXXI, London, page 789:
glosses: A number of different; various.
topics: law
glosses: Separable, capable of being treated separately.
Derived terms: have several seats
joint and several
several fishery