“very” – English explanatory dictionary

adv used to make an adjective or adverb stronger ○ It’s very hot in the car – why don’t you open a window? ○ Can you see that very tall pine tree over there? ○ The time seemed to go very quickly when we were on holiday. ■ □ not very many not a lot of ○ There weren’t very many visitors at the exhibition. □ very much greatly ○ I don’t like chocolate very much. ○ Thank you very much for your cheque. ○ It’s very much hotter today than it was yesterday. □ very much the same almost the same □ very well OK, agreed ○ Very well, then, we’ll meet you at the post office. Synonym extremely ■ adj 1. exactly the right one ○ She’s the very person you want to talk to. 2. used to make a noun stronger ○ He did his very best to get tickets. ○ The scene takes place at the very beginning of the book.

a. [Compar. Verier superl. Veriest.] [OE. verai, verray, OF. verai, vrai, F. vrai, (assumed) LL. veracus, for L. verax true, veracious, fr. verus true; akin to OHG. & OS. war, G. wahr, D. waar; perhaps originally, that is or exists, and akin to E. was. Cf. Aver, v. t., Veracious, Verdict, Verity.] True; real; actual; veritable. “Whether thou be my very son Esau or not.” Gen. xxvii. 21. “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.” Prov. xvii. 9. “The very essence of truth is plainness and brightness.” Milton. “I looked on the consideration of public service or public ornament to be real and very justice.” Burke. Very is sometimes used to make the word with which it is connected emphatic, and may then be paraphrased by same, self- same, itself, and the like. ´The very hand, the very words.´ Shak. ´The very rats instinctively have quit it.´ Shak. ´Yea, there where very desolation dwells.´ Milton. Very is used occasionally in the comparative degree, and more frequently in the superlative. ´Was not my lord the verier wag of the two?´ Shak. ´The veriest hermit in the nation.´ Pope. ´He had spoken the very truth, and transformed it into the veriest falsehood.´ Hawthorne. Very Reverend. See the Note under Reverend.

adv. In a high degree; to no small extent; exceedingly; excessively; extremely; as a very great mountain; a very bright sum; a very cold day; the river flows very rapidly; he was very much hurt.