Dictionary

sever en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈsɛv.ə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈsɛv.ɚ/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English severen, from Old French sevrer, from Latin separāre (“to separate”), from se- (“apart”) + parāre (“provide, arrange”). Doublet of separate, from the past participle of that Latin verb.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To cut free.
   • The angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 13:49:
   • to sever the head from the body
   • After he graduated, he severed all links to his family.
   • That I just severed the main vein with a chainsaw and I'm in pain? 1999, Eminem, Role Model:
2. (intransitive) To suffer disjunction; to be parted or separated.
   • No more can I be seuered from your side 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v]:
   • How great then was my anguish at being severed from my Regiment after thirty-three years! 1918, Rudyard Kipling, “A Retired Gentleman”, in The Eyes of Asia, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, →OCLC, page 4:
3. (intransitive) To make a separation or distinction; to distinguish.
   • They claimed the right of severing in their challenges. 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XVII, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
   • The Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 9:4:
4. To disconnect; to disunite; to terminate.
   • sever an estate in joint tenancy 1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

severability · severance · severer · severable · severally

Relateds

separate

Synonyms

cut off · hew · becut

Translations (85)

es cortar cercén (a) (to cut free) · ru отреза́ть (to cut free) · tr ayırmak (to cut free) · mi hāparapara (to cut free) · ca seccionar (to cut free) · it tagliare (to cut free) · ja 切断する (to cut free) · ru разорва́ть (to cut free) · es tajar (to cut free) · pt cortar (to cut free) · oc copar (to cut free) · fi katkaista (to cut free) · ar جَذَبَ (to cut free) · dbl nudin (guwal) (to cut free) · fi eriyttää (legal: to disunite; to disconnect; to terminate) · oc desunir (legal: to disunite; to disconnect; to terminate) · az qırmaq (to cut free) · ko 절단하다 (to cut free) · es esñocar (to cut free) · ru отре́зать (to cut free) · ja 断つ (to cut free) · de abbrechen (to cut free) · fi erottaa (legal: to disunite; to disconnect; to terminate) · hu elvág (to cut free) · it separare (legal: to disunite; to disconnect; to terminate) · cmn 斷絕 /断绝 (to cut free) · tr kesmek (to cut free) · ja 断ち切る (to cut free) · fr rompre (to cut free) · bg отрязвам (to cut free) · ta அறு (to be parted or separated) · fi lopettaa (legal: to disunite; to disconnect; to terminate) · bg разделям (to make a separation or distinction) · pl odcinać (to cut free) · es cercenar (to cut free) · pl ucinać (to cut free) · oc separar (legal: to disunite; to disconnect; to terminate) · sv kapa (to cut free) · fi erottaa (to make a separation or distinction) · bg откъсвам се (to be parted or separated) · fr trancher (to cut free) · es escindir (to cut free) · bg разделям (legal: to disunite; to disconnect; to terminate) · nl scheiden (to cut free) · ckb پەڕاندن (to cut free) · oc diferenciar (to make a separation or distinction) · lv saraut (to cut free) · egy d:n-T30 (to cut free) · ca tallar (to cut free) · ar بَتَّ (to cut free) · de durchtrennen (to cut free) · ru разрыва́ть (to cut free) · pl odrąbywać (to cut free) · ar قَطَعَ (to cut free) · mi momotu (to cut free) · nmn gǂqháa (to cut free) · fi tehdä ero (to make a separation or distinction) · it recidere (to cut free) · oc separar (to make a separation or distinction) · ota یارمق (to cut free) · oc talhar (to cut free) · pl odciąć (to cut free) · de abtrennen (to cut free) · pl odrąbać (to cut free) · it troncare (to cut free) · de trennen (to cut free) · tr koparmak (to cut free) · pl uciąć (to cut free) · sv klippa av (to cut free) · oc distinguir (to make a separation or distinction) · la praecīdō (to cut free) · it distaccare (legal: to disunite; to disconnect; to terminate) · it rescindere (legal: to disunite; to disconnect; to terminate) · lv nogriezt (to cut free) · fi joutua eroon (to be parted or separated) · fr sectionner (to cut free) · fi kitkeä (to cut free) · bg откъсвам (to cut free) · ta அறு (to cut free) · ca separar (to cut free) · oc èsser separat (to be parted or separated) · la dēsecō (to cut free) · nl lossnijden (to cut free) · sv hugga av (to cut free) · oc rompre (to cut free)