very
1very
adjective \ˈver-ē, ˈve-rē\veri·erveri·est
Definition of VERY
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a : absolute, utter <the veriest fool alive> b : unqualified, sheer <the very shame of it>
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—used as an intensive especially to emphasize identity <before my very eyes>
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: being the same one : selfsame <the very man I saw>
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: special, particular <the very essence of truth is plainness and brightness — John Milton>
Examples of VERY
- <we stayed in the very hotel my parents stayed in for their honeymoon>
- <the very thought of having to go through that again is scary>
Origin of VERY
Middle English verray, verry, from Anglo-French verai, from Vulgar Latin *veracus, alteration of Latin verac-, verax truthful, from verus true; akin to Old English wǣr true, Old High German wāra trust, care, Greek ēra (accusative) favor
First Known Use: 13th century
Related to VERY
2very
adverbDefinition of VERY
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: in actual fact : truly <the very best store in town> <told the very same story>
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: to a high degree : exceedingly <very hot> <didn't hurt very much>
Examples of VERY
- <that was a very brave thing to do>
- <the very same thing happened to me>
First Known Use of VERY
14th century
Related to VERY
- Synonyms
- achingly, almighty, archly, awful, awfully, badly, beastly, blisteringly, bone, colossally, corking, cracking, damn, damned, dang, deadly, desperately, eminently, enormously, especially, ever, exceedingly (also exceeding), extra, extremely, fabulously, fantastically, far, fiercely, filthy, frightfully, full, greatly, heavily, highly, hugely, immensely, incredibly, intensely, jolly, majorly, mightily, mighty, monstrous [chiefly dialect], mortally, most, much, particularly, passing, rattling, real, really, right, roaring, roaringly, seriously, severely, so, sore, sorely, spanking, specially, stinking, such, super, supremely, surpassingly, terribly, that, thumping, too, unco, uncommonly, vastly, vitally, way, whacking, wicked, wildly, a lot, as all get-out, good and, in actuality, in reality, in truth
- Antonyms
- little, negligibly, nominally, slightly, somewhat
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