From Middle English verray, from Old French verai (“true”), from Early Medieval Latin vērāgus, from Classical Latin vērāx, derived from vērus, from Proto-Italic *wēros, from Proto-Indo-European *weh₁ros.
Distantly cognate with Old English wǣr (“true”). Over time displaced the use of a number of Germanic words or prefixes to convey the sense 'very' such as fele, full-, mæġen, sore, sin-, swīþe, (partially) wel.
[…] : he has become a very democrat. He disdains not to be seen in the back-parlour of the petty tradesman, or the cleanly cottage of the intelligent mechanic. He raises his voice in the cause of progress; […] 1855, Chambers's Journal, page 257:
And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 27:21:
[…] I am the veriest varlet that ever chewed with a tooth. c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
the fierce hatred of a very woman
1659, Henry Hammond, A Paraphrase and Annotations upon All the Books of the New Testament, London: Richard Davis, 2nd edition, The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, Chapter 3, verse 19, p. 517,
[…] they that think to be wiser then other men, are by so much verier fools then others, and so are discerned to be.
the very blood and bone of our grammar
The very essence of truth is plainnesse, and brightnes; the darknes and crookednesse is our own. 1641 May, John Milton, Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England: And the Causes that hitherto have Hindred it. […], [London]: […] Thomas Vnderhill, →OCLC:
‘Thou seest after all I am a very woman.’ 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear. 1914 November, Louis Joseph Vance, “An Outsider […]”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LIII, number II, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company, […], published 1915, →OCLC, chapter III (Accessory After the Fact), page 382, column 1:
The country’s first black president, and its first president to reach adulthood after the Vietnam War and Watergate, Mr. Obama seemed like a digital-age leader who could at last dislodge the stalemate between those who clung to the government of the Great Society, on the one hand, and those who disdained the very idea of government, on the other. 2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times:
We're approaching the very end of the trip.
He tried his very best.
I looked on the consideration of publick service, or publick ornament, to be real and very justice: and I ever held, a scanty and penurious justice to partake of the nature of a wrong. 1796, Edmund Burke, A Letter from the Right Honourable Edmund Burke to a Noble Lord, on the Attacks Made upon Him and His Pension, London: J. Owen and F. & C. Rivington, page 30:
(not-comparable, usually) The same; identical.
He proposed marriage in the same restaurant, at the very table where they first met.
Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust. Looking back, I recollect she had very beautiful brown eyes. 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
The very man I wanted to see!
That's the very tool that I need.
(not-comparable, usually) With limiting effect: mere.
The very idea of climbing the ladder brings me out in a sweat.
The very idea/thought!
Given the degree of fear and loathing inspired by the very thought of a fat body in America today, it is important to emphasize that all of the medical information in the counterfactual world I have just sketched is itself quite factual. 2004, Paul Campos, The Obesity Myth: Why America's Obsession with Weight is Hazardous to Your Health, Penguin, →ISBN:
We have many examples in our daies, yea in very children, of such as for feare of some slight incommoditie have yeelded unto death. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 40, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
da samme (the same; identical) · az elə həmin (the same; identical) · it reale (true, real, actual) · gd ceudna (the same; identical) · fi juuri (the same; identical) · zza bol (diq) (the same; identical) · de aller- (true, real, actual) · cs tentýž (the same; identical) · hu egyazon (the same; identical) · ka ნამდვილი (true, real, actual) · ru тот са́мый (the same; identical) · fr même (the same; identical) · it mero (with limiting effect: mere) · gd aon (the same; identical) · ro același (the same; identical) · fi oikea (true, real, actual) · ne त्यै (the same; identical) · mk самиот (the same; identical) · de derselbe (the same; identical) · hy հենց (the same; identical) · de alleinig (with limiting effect: mere) · it identico (the same; identical) · ka იგივე (the same; identical) · pt próprio (the same; identical) · it semplice (with limiting effect: mere) · gd dearbh (the same; identical) · pl identyczny (the same; identical) · ja 正しく (the same; identical) · tl talagang (the same; identical) · it puro (with limiting effect: mere) · it effettivo (true, real, actual) · hu valódi (true, real, actual) · eo sama (the same; identical) · hu puszta (with limiting effect: mere) · it vero (true, real, actual) · fi todellinen (true, real, actual) · fi koko (true, real, actual) · ja 正に (the same; identical) · nl hetzelfde (the same; identical) · mk сам (the same; identical) · sco vera (the same; identical) · pt o mesmo (the same; identical) · hu igazi (true, real, actual) · it autentico (true, real, actual) · hu ugyanaz (the same; identical) · hu tőrőlmetszett (true, real, actual) · ka რეალური (true, real, actual) · fi pelkkä (with limiting effect: mere) · la ipse (the same; identical) · no samme (the same; identical) · it stesso (the same; identical) · it medesimo (the same; identical) · cs týž (the same; identical) · tl talaga (the same; identical) · gl o mesmo (the same; identical) · gd ceart (the same; identical) · ru са́мый (the same; identical) · eo vera (true, real, actual) · pt mero (with limiting effect: mere) · nl dezelfde (the same; identical) · nl zelfde (the same; identical)
From Middle English verray, from Old French verai (“true”), from Early Medieval Latin vērāgus, from Classical Latin vērāx, derived from vērus, from Proto-Italic *wēros, from Proto-Indo-European *weh₁ros.
Distantly cognate with Old English wǣr (“true”). Over time displaced the use of a number of Germanic words or prefixes to convey the sense 'very' such as fele, full-, mæġen, sore, sin-, swīþe, (partially) wel.
Meanings
(not-comparable) To a great extent or degree.
Then his sallow face brightened, for the hall had been carefully furnished, and was very clean.
There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls. 1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0091:
‘Is she busy?’ ― ‘Not very.’
In the end, the tickets didn't turn out so very expensive.
Not very many (of them) had been damaged.
She's so very similar to her mother.
“[…] They talk of you as if you were Croesus—and I expect the beggars sponge on you unconscionably.” And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
That dress is very you.
(not-comparable) Conforming to fact, reality or rule; true.
(not-comparable, with superlatives) Used to firmly establish that nothing else surpasses in some respect.
es -ísimo (to a high degree) · mnc ᡠᠮᡝᠰᡳ (to a high degree) · pt muito (to a high degree) · nv tʼóó báhádzigo (to a high degree) · ms sangat (to a high degree) · ko 너무 (to a high degree) · cmn 很 (to a high degree) · ja なまら (to a high degree) · rm fitg (to a high degree) · gl moi (to a high degree) · kmr gelek (to a high degree) · hu nagyon (to a high degree) · no veldig (true, truly) · lo ຈຸ່ນພູ່ນ (to a high degree) · hi बहुत (to a high degree) · vi quá (to a high degree) · ne एकदमै (to a high degree) · kum оьтесиз (to a high degree) · tyv аажок (to a high degree) · ko 아주 (to a high degree) · krc бек (to a high degree) · is afar (to a high degree) · ca molt (to a high degree) · cu вельми (to a high degree) · tyv дэндии (to a high degree) · da vældig (to a high degree) · ja 実に (true, truly) · ga an- (to a high degree) · wuu 老 (to a high degree) · ja 大分 (to a high degree) · sh вѐома (to a high degree) · ast mui (to a high degree) · tr pek (to a high degree) · hsb jara (to a high degree) · lld drë (to a high degree) · ca força (to a high degree) · ar جِدًّا (to a high degree) · roa-opt muito (to a high degree) · ja めちゃ (to a high degree) · mn үнэн (to a high degree) · hu igazán (true, truly) · mww heev (to a high degree) · ka ძალზე (to a high degree) · tl talagang (to a high degree) · ko 매우 (to a high degree) · id sangat (to a high degree) · hop hin'ur (to a high degree) · fi erittäin (to a high degree) · ca veramente (true, truly) · sv mycket (to a high degree) · alt кӱч (to a high degree) · eo tre (to a high degree) · th แสน (to a high degree) · sk naozaj (true, truly) · apd شَدِيْد (to a high degree) · sei áa (true, truly) · fi kovin (to a high degree) · cic kani̠hka̠ (to a high degree) · lez лап (to a high degree) · tl talaga (to a high degree) · gun vaipa (to a high degree) · es muy (to a high degree) · be ве́льмі (to a high degree) · ajp كتير (to a high degree) · csb barô (to a high degree) · grc ἀγα- (to a high degree) · be ду́жа (to a high degree) · pl naprawdę (true, truly) · sah бэрт (to a high degree) · lo ຫຼາຍ (to a high degree) · ky абдан (to a high degree) · bcl marhay (to a high degree) · udm туж (to a high degree) · az olduqca (to a high degree) · my တယ် (to a high degree) · el πολύ (to a high degree) · kn ತುಂಬಾ (to a high degree) · sv allra (true, truly) · fi hyvin (to a high degree) · fy frij (to a high degree) · kl assut (to a high degree) · ja どえらい、でら (to a high degree) · pt assaz (to a high degree) · vo vemo (to a high degree) · nap assai (to a high degree) · sv väldigt (to a high degree) · is ákaflega (to a high degree) · pl bardzo (to a high degree) · ja 大変 (to a high degree) · txb tsamo (to a high degree) · sv jätte- (to a high degree) · ru са́мый (true, truly) · cu мъного (to a high degree) · mk мошне (to a high degree) · kum кёп (to a high degree) · grc πάνυ (to a high degree) · roa-opt mui (to a high degree) · ja とても (to a high degree) · ja かなり (to a high degree) · la maximē (to a high degree) · ps ډېر (to a high degree) · hu igen (to a high degree) · vi lắm (to a high degree) · yue 好 (to a high degree) · pt de facto (true, truly) · cy iawn (to a high degree) · kk ерен (to a high degree) · gd glè (to a high degree) · lv ļoti (to a high degree) · ast per- (to a high degree) · za raixcaix (to a high degree) · bcl marhay (true, truly) · he מאוד \ מְאֹד (to a high degree) · lo ຄັນ (to a high degree) · ary كتير (to a high degree) · ja 本当 (true, truly) · nl heel (to a high degree) · ang swīþe (to a high degree) · lld scialdi (to a high degree) · ug بەك (to a high degree) · ja 超 (to a high degree) · ja めっちゃ (to a high degree) · lzz dido (to a high degree) · nl erg (to a high degree) · ngh kxʼam (to a high degree) · sh vèoma (to a high degree) · xqa اَيِغْ (to a high degree) · mhr пеш (to a high degree) · fo óføra (to a high degree) · oc fòrça (to a high degree) · ang for- (to a high degree) · is mjög (to a high degree) · fa بسیار (to a high degree) · ka ძლიერ (to a high degree) · ia multo (to a high degree) · pa ਬਹੁਤ (to a high degree) · tl talaga (true, truly) · lo ຈ້າ (to a high degree) · ajp كتير (to a high degree) · mrj когон (to a high degree) · ka ძალიან (to a high degree) · txb tanki (to a high degree) · uz oʻlguncha (to a high degree) · uk ду́же (to a high degree) · ovd stur- (to a high degree) · zdj halisi (to a high degree) · orv вельми (to a high degree) · th มาก (to a high degree) · lv gluži (to a high degree) · lld stra (to a high degree) · acm هواية (to a high degree) · kpv вывті (to a high degree) · tl sobrang (to a high degree) · fr vraiment (true, truly) · crh çoq (to a high degree) · ba бик (to a high degree) · os тынг (to a high degree) · lzz mtilana (true, truly) · fi todella (emphasizes superlativeness) · sco vera (to a high degree) · sk veľmi (to a high degree) · lb ganz (to a high degree) · dng -дихын (to a high degree) · cu вьсьма (to a high degree) · ja ばり (to a high degree) · gd fìor (to a high degree) · pl prawdziwie (true, truly) · de wahrlich (to a high degree) · es requete- (to a high degree) · nn ovleg (to a high degree) · da meget (to a high degree) · fo ógvuliga (to a high degree) · is ógeðslega (to a high degree) · ja 凄く (to a high degree) · bg мно́го (to a high degree) · ta மிக (to a high degree) · sa अति (to a high degree) · dng йүә (to a high degree) · aeb برشا (to a high degree) · da særlig (to a high degree) · io tre (to a high degree) · gd ro (to a high degree) · pl wielce (to a high degree) · uz oʻlgunday (to a high degree) · grc μάλα (to a high degree) · fr très (to a high degree) · fi todella (true, truly) · cmn 十分 (to a high degree) · ab даара (to a high degree) · lt labai (to a high degree) · am በጣም (to a high degree) · ga iontach (to a high degree) · zza zaf (diq) (to a high degree) · de ganz (to a high degree) · tk örän (to a high degree) · tyv адак (to a high degree) · lv īsti (true, truly) · is einkar (to a high degree) · ug ناھايىتى (to a high degree) · id benar-benar (true, truly) · aht hwtʼaeʼ (to a high degree) · ba үтә (to a high degree) · ngh -xa (to a high degree) · lez гзаф (to a high degree) · es hartamente (to a high degree) · id nian (to a high degree) · sh vȑlo (to a high degree) · as নিচেই (to a high degree) · ja つるつる (to a high degree) · sv allra (emphasizes superlativeness) · ja 随分 (to a high degree) · is ýkja (to a high degree) · ro foarte (to a high degree) · ru весьма́ (to a high degree) · alt тыҥ (to a high degree) · nl uiterst (true, truly) · uk ве́льми (to a high degree) · dng хын (to a high degree) · tr çok (to a high degree) · id banget (to a high degree) · cu ѕѣло (to a high degree) · lv visai (to a high degree) · sah олус (to a high degree) · ary بالزاف (to a high degree) · fi tosi (to a high degree) · si හුඟක් (to a high degree) · ml വളരെ (to a high degree) · mhr моткоч (to a high degree) · vi rất (to a high degree) · hsb wulce (to a high degree) · got 𐍆𐌹𐌻𐌿 (to a high degree) · az xeyli (to a high degree) · hy իսկական (true, truly) · fo sera (to a high degree) · uz juda (to a high degree) · af baie (to a high degree) · hu pontosan (true, truly) · dsb wjelgin (to a high degree) · ru о́чень (to a high degree) · acm حيل (to a high degree) · cmn 倍兒 /倍儿 (to a high degree) · tum comene (to a high degree) · ckb زۆر (to a high degree) · de wahrlich (true, truly) · acp كتير (to a high degree) · sah наһаа (to a high degree) · ru зело́ (to a high degree) · sw sana (to a high degree) · is voða (to a high degree) · es harto (to a high degree) · wuu 蠻 /蛮 (to a high degree) · kk аса (to a high degree) · as খুব (to a high degree) · nn veldig (to a high degree) · nb veldig (to a high degree) · gd fìor (true, truly) · it estremamente (to a high degree) · bg бая́ (to a high degree) · ga rí- (to a high degree) · orv вьсьма (to a high degree) · chr ᏙᎯᏳ (to a high degree) · ngh kxʼam (true, truly) · la summē (to a high degree) · mww heev (emphasizes superlativeness) · os иттӕг (to a high degree) · sco gey (to a high degree) · rue барз (to a high degree) · fi todella (to a high degree) · gsw schüüli (to a high degree) · et väga (to a high degree) · yi זייער (to a high degree) · sei áa (to a high degree) · my သိပ် (to a high degree) · acm هواي (to a high degree) · sl zeló (to a high degree) · mn жинхэнэ (to a high degree) · ko 정말 (true, truly) · cs skutečně (true, truly) · bth paŭh (to a high degree) · es requetecontra (to a high degree) · acw مَرَّة (to a high degree) · as বৰ (to a high degree) · it davvero (true, truly) · kmr pir (to a high degree) · sco vera (true, truly) · ajp جدا (to a high degree) · hu szakasztott (true, truly) · tg хеле (to a high degree) · cmn 太 (to a high degree) · te చాలా (to a high degree) · da aller- (emphasizes superlativeness) · fy tige (to a high degree) · ko 굉장히 (to a high degree) · bn খুব (to a high degree) · mk многу (to a high degree) · nl zeer (to a high degree) · my အရမ်း (to a high degree) · tl sobra (to a high degree) · ga ana- (to a high degree) · kk өте (to a high degree) · hy շատ (to a high degree) · syl ꠛꠃꠔ (to a high degree) · sv sann (true, truly) · ru дю́же (to a high degree) · sh вр̏ло (to a high degree) · zdj kaɓisa (to a high degree) · dng дин (to a high degree) · ajp قوي (to a high degree) · sco unco (to a high degree) · si හරි (to a high degree) · kpv зэв (to a high degree) · nl echt (true, truly) · hop a'ni (to a high degree) · lo ຈັດ (to a high degree) · zza hol (diq) (to a high degree) · ky аябай (to a high degree) · fa خیلی (to a high degree) · sq shumë (to a high degree) · la valdē (to a high degree) · id sekali (to a high degree) · cmn 非常 (to a high degree) · acm كلش (to a high degree) · grc λίαν (to a high degree) · qu ancha (to a high degree) · it molto (to a high degree) · tt бик (to a high degree) · ta மிகவும் (to a high degree) · az çox (to a high degree) · ce чӏогӏа (to a high degree) · ba бигерәк (to a high degree) · ab даараӡа (to a high degree) · eu oso (to a high degree) · la vērē (true, truly) · nan-hbl 真 (to a high degree) · tyv дыка (to a high degree) · kum бек (to a high degree) · tl talagang (true, truly) · hu teljesen (true, truly) · ka ნამდვილად (true, truly) · my အလွန် (to a high degree) · ast muncho (to a high degree) · mi tino (to a high degree) · uz gʻoyatda (to a high degree) · ht anpil (to a high degree) · ja 非常に (to a high degree) · ady дэд (to a high degree) · sva გუნ (to a high degree) · nb meget (to a high degree) · cs velmi (to a high degree) · de sehr (to a high degree) · lad muy (to a high degree) · is fjarska (to a high degree) · sk mnoho (to a high degree) · bo ཞེ་དྲགས (to a high degree) · kab aṭas (to a high degree) · km ណាស់ (to a high degree) · pdt sea (to a high degree) · ja 大いに (to a high degree) · ru изря́дно (to a high degree) · afb وايد (to a high degree) · tg бисёр (to a high degree) · zdj ha kuu (to a high degree) · sco unco (true, truly) · wo lool (to a high degree) · kca-nor шєӈк (to a high degree) · yue 非常 (to a high degree) · jv tenan (true, truly) · ru вельми́ (to a high degree) · ngh -xa (true, truly) · fi kaikkein (true, truly) · or ବହୁତ (to a high degree) · mk нај- (true, truly) · mww tseeb (true, truly) · tyv чүдек (to a high degree) · cu зѣло (to a high degree) · alt улу (to a high degree) · hu egy az egyben (true, truly) · nv ayóo (to a high degree) · ja ずっと (to a high degree) · sco gey (true, truly) · kn ಬಹಳ (to a high degree) · ur بَہُت (to a high degree) · lo ຄະເຍີ (to a high degree) · hu leges- (emphasizes superlativeness) · da aller (true, truly) · nap nu sacco (to a high degree) · es recontra (to a high degree) · sk úplne (emphasizes superlativeness) · pt de fato (true, truly) · ky өтө (to a high degree) · cmn 超 (to a high degree) · la per- (to a high degree) · otk 𐰪𐰃𐰍 (to a high degree) · mt ħafna (to a high degree) · wuu 交關 /交关 (to a high degree) · mr फार (to a high degree) · no aller (true, truly) · ta ரொம்ப (to a high degree) · se hui (to a high degree)