Very

Very (ver"y) , adjective

[Old English verai, verray, Old French verai, vrai, French vrai, (assumed) Late Latin veracus, for Latin verax true, veracious, from verus true; akin to Old High German & Old Saxon wār, German wahr, Dutch waar; perhaps originally, that is or exists, and akin to English was. Compare Aver, transitive verb, 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. — Bible (KJV) - Proverb 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.

Collocations (1)

Very Reverend , See the Note under Reverend.

Very (ver"y) , adverb

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