austere
adjective /ɔːˈstɪər/
/ɑːˈstɪr/ Definition
› very simple and without comfort or unnecessary things, especially because of severe limits on money or goods: an austere childhood during the warPlain and ordinaryTedious and uninspiring › plain and without decoration: The courtroom was a large, dark chamber, an austere place.Plain and ordinaryTedious and uninspiring › very severe and unfriendly in manner: He was a tall, austere, forbidding figure.SevereNot being friendlyNot saying muchBlunt and direct in speech and behaviour austerely /-li/ adverb › Her dress was simple and austerely elegant.Plain and ordinaryTedious and uninspiringSevereNot being friendlyNot saying muchBlunt and direct in speech and behaviour
(Definition of austere adjective from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
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Synonyms and related words:
- an iron hand/fist in a velvet glove idiom
- be heavy on sb idiom
- disciplinarian noun
- draconian adjective
- flaming adjective
- hard adjective (SEVERE)
- harsh adjective (UNKIND)
- not stand any nonsense idiom
- roundly adverb
- rule sth with an iron hand/fist idiom
- severe adjective (NOT KIND)
- severely adverb (NOT KINDLY)
- severity noun (NOT KIND)
- sharp adjective (ABLE TO CUT)
- stern adjective
- stiffly adverb (SEVERE)
- strict adjective
- strictly adverb
- strictness noun
- take a hard line on sb/sth idiom
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Severe
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