Adjacent Words

Stern definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

STERN, a. [G., staring; stubborn. See Stare, Starck, Stark, with which this word is probably connected.]
1. Severe; austere; fixed with an aspect of severity and authority; as a stern look; a stern countenance; a stern frown.
I would outstare the sternest eyes that look.
2. Severe of manner; rigid; harsh; cruel.
Stern as tutors, and as uncles hard.
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
3. Hard; afflictive.
If wolves had at thy gate howld that stern time.
4. Rigidly stedfast; immovable.
Stern virtue is the growth of few soils.
STERN, n.
1. The hind part of a ship or other vessel, or of a boat; the part opposite to the stern or prow. This part of a ship is terminated by the tafferel above, and by the counters below.
2. Post of management; direction.
An sit at chiefest stern of public weal. [Not in use. We now say, to sit at the helm.]
3. The hinder part of any thing. [Not elegant.]
By the stern, is a phrase which denotes that a ship is more deeply laden abaft than forward.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect; "an austere expression"; "a stern face" [syn: austere, stern]
2: not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty; "grim determination"; "grim necessity"; "Russia's final hour, it seemed, approached with inexorable certainty"; "relentless persecution"; "the stern demands of parenthood" [syn: grim, inexorable, relentless, stern, unappeasable, unforgiving, unrelenting]
3: severe and unremitting in making demands; "an exacting instructor"; "a stern disciplinarian"; "strict standards" [syn: stern, strict, exacting]
4: severely simple; "a stark interior" [syn: austere, severe, stark, stern] n
1: the rear part of a ship [syn: stern, after part, quarter, poop, tail]
2: United States concert violinist (born in Russia in 1920) [syn: Stern, Isaac Stern]
3: the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on; "he deserves a good kick in the butt"; "are you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?" [syn: buttocks, nates, arse, butt, backside, bum, buns, can, fundament, hindquarters, hind end, keister, posterior, prat, rear, rear end, rump, stern, seat, tail, tail end, tooshie, tush, bottom, behind, derriere, fanny, ass]

Merriam Webster's

I. biographical name Isaac 1920-2001 American (Russian-born) violinist II. biographical name Otto 1888-1969 American (German-born) physicist

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English sterne, from Old English styrne; akin to Old English starian to stare — more at stare Date: before 12th century 1. a. having a definite hardness or severity of nature or manner ; austere b. expressive of severe displeasure ; harsh 2. forbidding or gloomy in appearance 3. inexorable <stern necessity> 4. sturdy, stout <a stern resolve> Synonyms: see severe • sternly adverb • sternness noun II. noun Etymology: Middle English, rudder, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse stj?rn steering, rudder; akin to Old English st?eran to steer — more at steer Date: 14th century 1. the rear end of a boat 2. a hinder or rear part ; the last or latter part

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. adj. severe, grim, strict; enforcing discipline or submission (a stern expression; stern treatment). Phrases and idioms: the sterner sex men. Derivatives: sternly adv. sternness n. Etymology: OE styrne, prob. f. a Gmc root = be rigid 2. n. 1 the rear part of a ship or boat. 2 any rear part. Phrases and idioms: stern foremost moving backwards. stern on with the stern presented. stern-post the central upright support at the stern, usu. bearing the rudder. Derivatives: sterned adj. (also in comb.). sternmost adj. sternward adj. & adv. sternwards adv. Etymology: ME prob. f. ON stjórn steering f. st|ra STEER(1)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Stern Stern, a. [Compar. Sterner; superl. Sternest.] [OE. sterne, sturne, AS. styrne; cf. D. stuurish stern, Sw. stursk refractory. [root]166.] 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. The sterne wind so loud gan to rout. --Chaucer. I would outstare the sternest eyes that look. --Shak. When that the poor have cried, C[ae]sar hath wept; Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. --Shak. Stern as tutors, and as uncles hard. --Dryden. These barren rocks, your stern inheritance. --Wordsworth. Syn: Gloomy; sullen; forbidding; strict; unkind; hard-hearted; unfeeling; cruel; pitiless.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Stern Stern, n. [AS. stearn a kind of bird. See Starling.] (Zo["o]l.) The black tern.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Stern Stern, n. [Icel. stj[=o]rn a steering, or a doubtful AS. ste['o]rn. [root]166. See Steer, v. t.] 1. The helm or tiller of a vessel or boat; also, the rudder. [Obs.] --Chaucer. 2. (Naut.) The after or rear end of a ship or other vessel, or of a boat; the part opposite to the stem, or prow. 3. Fig.: The post of management or direction. And sit chiefest stern of public weal. --Shak. 4. The hinder part of anything. --Spenser. 5. The tail of an animal; -- now used only of the tail of a dog. By the stern. (Naut.) See By the head, under By.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Stern Stern, a. Being in the stern, or being astern; as, the stern davits. Stern board (Naut.), a going or falling astern; a loss of way in making a tack; as, to make a stern board. See Board, n., 8 (b) . Stern chase. (Naut.) (a) See under Chase, n. (b) A stern chaser. Stern chaser (Naut.), a cannon placed in a ship's stern, pointing backward, and intended to annoy a ship that is in pursuit. Stern fast (Naut.), a rope used to confine the stern of a ship or other vessel, as to a wharf or buoy. Stern frame (Naut.), the framework of timber forms the stern of a ship. Stern knee. See Sternson. Stern port (Naut.), a port, or opening, in the stern of a ship. Stern sheets (Naut.), that part of an open boat which is between the stern and the aftmost seat of the rowers, -- usually furnished with seats for passengers. Stern wheel, a paddle wheel attached to the stern of the steamboat which it propels.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(sterner, sternest, sterns) 1. Stern words or actions are very severe. Mr Straw issued a stern warning to those who persist in violence... ADJ • sternly 'We will take the necessary steps,' she said sternly. ADV: ADV with v, ADV adj 2. Someone who is stern is very serious and strict. Her father was stern and hard to please. ADJ 3. The stern of a boat is the back part of it. ? prow From stem to stern: see stem N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. 1. Forbidding, austere, severe, rigid. 2. Harsh, cruel, severe, bitter, rigorous, strict, hard, unrelenting, inflexible, rigid. 3. Steadfast, immovable, rigidly steadfast, incorruptible, uncompromising. II. n. Hinder part (of a vessel).

Moby Thesaurus

Spartan, Spartanic, adamant, adamantine, afterpart, afterpiece, arse, ascetic, ass, astringent, austere, authoritarian, back, back door, back seat, back side, backside, beam, behind, bottom, breech, bum, butt, can, cast-iron, cheeks, churlish, counter, crabbed, crabby, critical, crusty, demanding, derriere, determined, dour, exacting, exigent, fanny, fantail, firm, flinty, forbidding, frowning, gloomy, grave, grim, gruff, hard, hard-core, harsh, heel, hind end, hind part, hindhead, immovable, immutable, implacable, impliable, inclement, inelastic, inexorable, inflexible, intransigent, iron, irreconcilable, keister, lugubrious, meticulous, mortified, obdurate, occiput, poop, posterior, postern, prat, rear, rear end, rearward, relentless, resolute, reverse, rigid, rigorous, rock-ribbed, rough, rudderpost, rugged, rump, rusty-dusty, saturnine, serious, severe, sour, steadfast, steely, stiff, stony, strict, stringent, taciturn, tail, tail end, tailpiece, tough, tuchis, tush, tushy, unaffected, unalterable, unbending, unchangeable, uncompromising, unforgiving, ungentle, ungiving, unmoved, unrelenting, unremitting, unsparing, unsympathetic, unyielding