sev·er·al /ˈsɛvrəl, ˈsɛvə-/
1. Separate; distinct; particular; single.
Each several ship a victory did gain. --Dryden.
Each might his several province well command,
Would all but stoop to what they understand. --Pope.
2. Diverse; different; various.
Habits and faculties, several, and to be distinguished. --Bacon.
Four several armies to the field are led. --Dryden.
3. Consisting of a number more than two, but not very many; divers; sundry; as, several persons were present when the event took place.
Sev·er·al, adv. By itself; severally. [Obs.]
Every kind of thing is laid up several in barns or storehoudses. --Robynson (More's Utopia).
1. Each particular taken singly; an item; a detail; an individual. [Obs.]
There was not time enough to hear . . .
The severals. --Shak.
2. Persons oe objects, more than two, but not very many.
Several of them neither rose from any conspicuous family, nor left any behind them. --Addison.
3. An inclosed or separate place; inclosure. [Obs.]
They had their several for heathen nations, their several for the people of their own nation. --Hooker.
In several, in a state of separation. [R.] “Where pastures in several be.”
adj 1: considered individually; "the respective club members";
"specialists in their several fields"; "the various
reports all agreed" [syn: respective(a), several(a),
2: distinct and individual; "three several times" [syn: several(p)]
3: (used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2
or 3 but not many; "several letters came in the mail";
"several people were injured in the accident" [syn: several(a)]