austere

austere
UK [ɔːˈstɪə(r)] / US [ɔˈstɪr] adjective
1) plain in style and without decoration

The church is large and austere.

2) strict and serious in manner

An austere, silent woman showed him round the small flat.

3) an austere way of living is simple and not very comfortable

He was a man of austere habits.

4) severely reducing the amount of money that is spent, in a way that is likely to produce unpleasant effects

austere measures

austere economic policies


Derived word:
austerely
adverb

English dictionary. 2014.

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  • austère — [ ostɛr ] adj. • 1120 « âpre »; lat. austerus, du gr. 1 ♦ Qui se montre sévère pour soi, ne s accorde aucun luxe ou plaisir. Un homme austère. ⇒ puritain, rigoriste, sévère, sobre, spartiate, stoïcien. Par ext. ⇒ dur, rigoureux. La vie austère d… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • austère — AUSTÈRE. adj. des 2 g. Qui est rigoureux en ce qui regarde le traitement du corps, et qui mortifie les sens et l esprit. Religion austère. Règle austère. Jeûne austère. Mener une vie austère. Faire une pénitence austère. Il garde un silence… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • austere — AUSTERE. adj. de tout genre, Qui est rigoureux en ce qui regarde le traitement du corps. Religion austere. Ordre austere. regle austere. habit austere. mener une vie austere. faire une penitence austere. jeusne austere. deüil austere. Il signifie …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Austere — Aus*tere , [F. aust[ e]re, L. austerus, fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? to parch, dry. Cf. {Sear}.] 1. Sour and astringent; rough to the state; having acerbity; as, an austere crab apple; austere wine. [1913 Webster] 2. Severe in modes of judging, or living, or …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • austere — (adj.) early 14c., from O.Fr. austere (Mod.Fr. austère) and directly from L. austerus dry, harsh, sour, tart, from Gk. austeros bitter, harsh, especially making the tongue dry (originally used of fruits, wines), metaphorically austere, harsh,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • austere — [adj1] severe in manner ascetic, astringent, cold, earnest, exacting, forbidding, formal, grave, grim, hard, harsh, inexorable, inflexible, obdurate, rigid, rigorous, serious, sober, solemn, somber, stern, stiff, strict, stringent, unfeeling,… …   New thesaurus

  • austere — [ô stir′] adj. [ME < OFr < L austerus, harsh < Gr austēros, dry, harsh < auein, to dry < auos, dry < IE base * saus, dry > SEAR1] 1. having a severe or stern look, manner, etc.; forbidding 2. showing strict self discipline… …   English World dictionary

  • Austère — Austère, (frz. ostär) finster, streng, mürrisch; Austerität, austerité, Ernst, Strenge, finsteres Wesen …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • austere — index astringent, bitter (penetrating), bleak (severely simple), caustic, draconian, harsh, rigid, severe …   Law dictionary

  • austere — *severe, stern, ascetic Analogous words: bald, *bare: unembellished, unadorned, unornamented, undecorated (see affirmative verbs at ADORN): dispassionate (see FAIR): rigorous, strict (see RIGID): grave, somber, *serious, sober, earnest Antonyms:… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • austere — Austere, Austerus …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

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