severity

The state or quality of being severe.

The act or an instance of severe behavior, especially punishment.

The character or state of being severe.

Extreme rigor; strictness; rigidity; harshness.

Harshness; cruel treatment; sharpness of punishment: as, severity practised on prisoners of war.

In lit., art, etc., the quality of strict conformity to an ideal rule or standard; studied moderation; freedom from all exuberance or florid ornament; purity of line and form; austerity of style.

The quality or power of afflicting, distressing, or paining; extreme degree; extremity; keenness: as, the severity of pain or anguish; the severity of cold or heat; the severity of the winter.

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

Strictness; rigid accuracy.

Synonyms and Asperity, Harshness, etc. (see acrimony), unkindness.—, , and Sharpness, keenness, force. See list under harshness.