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stern - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'stern' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Stern [ a.]
- Being in the stern, or being astern; as, the stern davits.
2 . Stern [ n.]
- The black tern.
3 . Stern [ superl.]
- Having a certain hardness or severity of nature, manner, or aspect; hard; severe; rigid; rigorous; austere; fixed; unchanging; unrelenting; hence, serious; resolute; harsh; as, a sternresolve; a stern necessity; a stern heart; a stern gaze; a stern decree.
4 . Stern [ v. t.]
- The helm or tiller of a vessel or boat; also, the rudder.
- The after or rear end of a ship or other vessel, or of a boat; the part opposite to the stem, or prow.
- Fig.: The post of management or direction.
- The hinder part of anything.
- The tail of an animal; -- now used only of the tail of a dog.

Meaning of 'stern' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . stern [ n]
Meaning (1):
- the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
Example in sentence:
  • are you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?;
  • he deserves a good kick in the butt
2 . stern [ s]
Meaning (2):
- severely simple
Example in sentence:
  • a stark interior
Meaning (3):
- severe and unremitting in making demands
Example in sentence:
  • a stern disciplinarian;
  • an exacting instructor;
  • strict standards
Meaning (4):
- of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
Example in sentence:
  • a stern face;
  • an austere expression
Meaning (5):
- not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
Example in sentence:
  • grim determination;
  • grim necessity;
  • relentless persecution;
  • Russia's final hour, it seemed, approached with inexorable certainty;
  • the stern demands of parenthood

Nearby Words:

stead steadfast steadfastly steadfastness steadied steadily steadiness steading steady steadying

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