Very Definition & Meaning

American

British

Idioms

Grammar

Usage

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms very American [ver-ee] / ˈvɛr i /

adverb

1. in a high degree; extremely; exceedingly.

   A giant is very tall.

2. (used as an intensive emphasizing superlatives or stressing identity or oppositeness).

   the very best thing; in the very same place as before.

adjective

verier, veriest

1. precise; particular.

   That is the very item we want.

2. mere.

   The very thought of it is distressing.

3. sheer; utter.

   He wept from the very joy of knowing he was safe.

   Synonyms: plain, simple, pure

4. actual.

   He was caught in the very act of stealing.

5. being such in the true or fullest sense of the term; extreme.

   the very heart of the matter.

6. true; genuine; worthy of being called such.

   the very God; a very fool.

7. rightful or legitimate.

very British / ˈvɛrɪ /

adverb

1. (intensifier) used to add emphasis to adjectives that are able to be graded

   very good

   very tall

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

1. (intensifier) used with nouns preceded by a definite article or possessive determiner, in order to give emphasis to the significance, appropriateness or relevance of a noun in a particular context, or to give exaggerated intensity to certain nouns

   the very man I want to see

   his very name struck terror

   the very back of the room

2. (intensifier) used in metaphors to emphasize the applicability of the image to the situation described

   he was a very lion in the fight

3. archaic

   1. real or true; genuine

      the very living God

   2. lawful

      the very vengeance of the gods

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 very Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing very

• all very well
• what's the (the very) idea

Grammar

Past participles that have become established as adjectives can, like most English adjectives, be modified by the adverb very : a very driven person; We were very concerned for your safety. Very does not modify past participles that are clearly verbal; for example, The lid was very sealed is not an idiomatic construction, while The lid was very tightly sealed is. Sometimes confusion arises over whether a given past participle is adjectival and thus able to be modified by very without an intervening adverb. However, there is rarely any objection to the use of this intervening adverb, no matter how the past participle is functioning. Such use often occurs in edited writing: We were very much relieved to find the children asleep. They were very greatly excited by the news. I feel very badly cheated.

Usage

In strict usage adverbs of degree such as very, too, quite, really, and extremely are used only to qualify adjectives: he is very happy; she is too sad. By this rule, these words should not be used to qualify past participles that follow the verb to be, since they would then be technically qualifying verbs. With the exception of certain participles, such as tired or disappointed, that have come to be regarded as adjectives, all other past participles are qualified by adverbs such as much, greatly, seriously, or excessively: he has been much (not very ) inconvenienced; she has been excessively (not too ) criticized

Etymology

Origin of very

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French verai ( French vrai ), from Vulgar Latin vērācus (unrecorded) for Latin vērāx “truthful,” equivalent to vēr(us) “true” (cognate with Old English wǣr, German wahr “true, correct”) + -āx adjectival suffix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

However, the technology for now is being put to work at very specialized tasks -- in gadgets that translate languages during conversations, say, or monitor health symptoms, or provide information on people's surroundings through smart glasses.

From Barron's

“During those periods, it’s very hard to call a definitive top, since investor enthusiasm can remain elevated.”

From Barron's

“It’s very affordable in this area, but the one thing I will say is it’s very competitive,” Griggs said of the housing market.

From The Wall Street Journal

Robert Pafundi, who represents the contestants, emphasized “this litigation is very much ongoing.”

From The Wall Street Journal

"I first went to St James' when I was very young, but my first proper memory was against Stoke in 2008," he explained.

From BBC

Related Words

• absolutely
• awfully
• certainly
• decidedly
• deeply
• eminently
• exceedingly
• excessively
• extraordinarily
• extremely
• greatly
• highly
• incredibly
• noticeably
• particularly
• pretty
• profoundly
• remarkably
• surprisingly
• terribly

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.