very

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very

to a high degree; extremely: a very important matter

Not to be confused with:

vary – to be different; modify; deviate: Her actions seem to vary from the norm.

ver·y

(vĕr′ē)

adv.

1. In a high degree; extremely: very happy; very much admired.

2. Truly; absolutely: the very best advice; attended the very same schools.

3. Very Used in titles: the Very Reverend Jane Smith.

adj. ver·i·er, ver·i·est

1. Complete; absolute: at the very end of his career.

2. Being the same; identical: That is the very question she asked yesterday.

3. Being particularly suitable or appropriate: the very item needed to increase sales.

4. Used to emphasize the importance of what is specified: The very mountains shook.

5. Being nothing more than what is specified; mere: The very act of riding in the car made him dizzy.

6. Archaic Genuine; true: "Like very sanctity, she did approach" (Shakespeare).

[Middle English verrai, from Old French verai, true, from Vulgar Latin *vērācus, from Latin vērāx, vērāc-, truthful, from vērus, true; see wērə-o- in Indo-European roots.]

Usage Note: In general usage very is not used alone to modify a past participle. Thus, we may say of a book that it has been very much praised or very much criticized (where very modifies the adverb much), but not that it has been very praised or very criticized. However, many past participle forms do double duty as adjectives, in which case modification by very or by analogous adverbs such as quite is acceptable, as in a very celebrated singer or a performance that was quite polished. In some cases there is disagreement as to whether a particular participle can be used properly as an adjective. In the past, critics have objected to the use of very by itself with delighted, interested, annoyed, pleased, disappointed, and irritated. All of these words are now well established as adjectives, however, as indicated by the fact that they are used attributively, that is, in juxtaposition to a noun they modify, as in a delighted audience, a pleased look, a disappointed young man. But the situation is not always clear. Some speakers accept phrases such as very appreciated, very astonished, or very heartened, while others prefer alternatives using very much. Some participles can be treated as adjectives in one sense but not another, as in a very inflated reputation but not a very inflated tire. As a result, there is no sure way to tell which participles can be modified by a bare very. When in doubt, using very much is generally correct.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

very

(ˈvɛrɪ)

adv

(intensifier) used to add emphasis to adjectives that are able to be graded: very good; very tall.

adj (prenominal)

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

a. real or true; genuine: the very living God.

b. lawful: the very vengeance of the gods.

[C13: from Old French verai true, from Latin vērax true, from vērus true]

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

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ver•y

(ˈvɛr i)

adv., adj. (Archaic) ver•i•er, ver•i•est. adv.

1. in a high degree; extremely; exceedingly: a very clever person.

2. (used as an intensive emphasizing superlatives or stressing identity or oppositeness): the very best thing; in the very same place.

adj.

3. precise; particular: That is the very item we want.

4. mere: The very thought of it is distressing.

5. sheer; utter: the very joy of living.

6. actual: caught in the very act of stealing.

7. being such in the true or fullest sense of the term: the very heart of the matter.

8. Archaic.

a. true; genuine.

b. rightful or legitimate.

[1200–50; Middle English < Old French verai « Latin vērāx truthful; see veracious]

usage: Past participles that have become established as adjectives can, like most English adjectives, be modified by the adverb very: 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. Confusion or controversy sometimes arises over whether a past participle is truly adjectival and thus able to be modified by very without an intervening adverb (as tightly in the last example above). 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.

so

– very – too

So, very, and too can all be used to intensify the meaning of an adjective, an adverb, or a word like much or many.

1. 'very'

Very is a simple intensifier, without any other meaning.

The room was very small.

We finished very quickly.

See very

2. 'so'

So can suggest an emotion in the speaker, such as pleasure, surprise, or disappointment.

Juan makes me so angry!

Oh, thank you so much!

So can also refer forward to a result clause introduced by that.

The traffic was moving so slowly that he arrived three hours late.

3. 'too'

Too suggests an excessive or undesirable amount.

The soup is too salty.

She wears too much make-up.

Too can be used with a to-infinitive or with for to say that a particular result does not or cannot happen.

He was too late to save her.

The water was too cold for swimming.

See too

very

1. basic use

You use very to emphasize an adjective or adverb.

She is a very tall woman.

That's very nice of you.

Think very carefully.

2. used with -ed words

You can use very to emphasize adjectives ending in -ed, especially when they refer to a state of mind or emotional condition. For example, you can say 'I was very bored' or 'She was very frightened'.

He seemed very interested in everything.

Joe must have been very worried about her.

However, don't use 'very' to emphasize -ed words when they are part of a passive construction. Don't say, for example, 'He was very liked'. You say 'He was well liked'. Similarly, don't say 'She was very admired'. You say 'She was very much admired' or 'She was greatly admired'.

Argentina were well beaten by Italy in the first round.

I was greatly influenced by his work.

He is very much resented by his colleagues.

Don't say that someone is 'very awake'. You say that they are wide awake or fully awake.

He was wide awake by the time we reached the hotel.

He was not fully awake.

Don't say that someone is 'very asleep'. You say that they are sound asleep or fast asleep.

Chris is still sound asleep on the sofa.

Charlotte had been fast asleep when he left her.

Don't say that two things are 'very apart'. You say that they are far apart.

His two hands were far apart.

Also, don't use 'very' with adjectives which already describe an extreme quality. Don't say, for example, that something is 'very enormous'. Here is a list of adjectives of this kind:

absurd	awful	brilliant	enormous	essential
excellent	furious	huge	massive	perfect
splendid	terrible	unique	wonderful

3. comparatives and superlatives

Don't use 'very' with comparatives. Don't say, for example, 'Tom was very quicker than I was'. You say 'Tom was much quicker than I was' or 'Tom was far quicker than I was'.

It was much colder than before.

This is a far better picture than the other one.

See far

You can use very in front of best, worst, or any superlative which ends in -est.

It's one of Shaw's very best plays.

We must deal with the very worst crimes.

They use the very latest technology.

However, don't use 'very' with superlatives that begin with the most. Instead you use much, by far, or far and away.

He is much the most likely winner.

The last exam was by far the most difficult.

This is far and away the most important point.

4. used with 'first', 'next', and 'last'

You can use very in front of first, next, or last to emphasize that something is the first, next, or last thing of its kind.

I was their very first guest.

We left the very next day.

Those were his very last words.

Be Careful!
Don't use 'very' to say that something happens because someone or something has a quality to an unusually large extent. Don't say, for example, 'He looked very funny that we couldn't help laughing'. You say 'He looked so funny that we couldn't help laughing'.

We were so angry we asked to see the manager.

He had shouted so hard that his throat was sore.

See so

5. prepositions

Don't use 'very' in front of prepositions such as ahead of, above, or behind. Instead you use well or far.

Figures are well above average.

David was following not far behind us.

6. prepositional phrases

Don't use 'very' in front of prepositional phrases. Don't say, for example, 'He was very in love with Kate'. Instead, you use very much or greatly.

The findings were very much in line with previous research.

I was greatly in awe of Jane at first.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Adj.	1.	very - precisely as stated; "the very center of town" precise - sharply exact or accurate or delimited; "a precise mind"; "specified a precise amount"; "arrived at the precise moment"
	2.	very - being the exact same one; not any other:; "this is the identical room we stayed in before"; "the themes of his stories are one and the same"; "saw the selfsame quotation in two newspapers"; "on this very spot"; "the very thing he said yesterday"; "the very man I want to see" selfsame, identical same - same in identity; "the same man I saw yesterday"; "never wore the same dress twice"; "this road is the same one we were on yesterday"; "on the same side of the street"
Adv.	1.	very - used as intensifiers; `real' is sometimes used informally for `really'; `rattling' is informal; "she was very gifted"; "he played very well"; "a really enjoyable evening"; "I'm real sorry about it"; "a rattling good yarn" rattling, real, really
	2.	very - precisely so; "on the very next page"; "he expected the very opposite"

very

adverb

1. extremely, highly, greatly, really, deeply, particularly, seriously (informal), truly, absolutely, terribly, remarkably, unusually, jolly (Brit.), wonderfully, profoundly, decidedly, awfully (informal), acutely, exceedingly, excessively, noticeably, eminently, superlatively, uncommonly, surpassingly, v (S.M.S.) I am very grateful to you for all your help.

adjective

1. exact, actual, precise, same, real, express, identical, unqualified, selfsame, v (S.M.S.) Those were his very words to me.

2. ideal, perfect, right, fitting, appropriate, suitable, spot on (Brit. informal), apt, just the job (Brit. informal), v (S.M.S.) the very person we need for the job

3. mere, simple, plain, nothing more than, v (S.M.S.) the very sound of a telephone ringing evoked fear

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.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

very

adverb

To a high degree:

awfully, dreadfully, eminently, exceedingly, exceptionally, extra, extremely, greatly, highly, most, notably.

Informal: awful.

Chiefly Regional: mighty.

adjective

1. Being one and not another or others; not different in nature or identity:

identic, identical, same, selfsame.

2. Strictly distinguished from others:

exact, precise.

3. Considered apart from anything else:

mere.

Translations

Spanish / Español

Select a language:

muy mismo sólo completamente exactamente

very

[ˈverɪ]

A. ADV

1. (= extremely) → muy
it is very cold [object] → está muy frío; [weather] → hace mucho frío
the food was very good → la comida estuvo muy buena
"that will be all" - "very good, sir" → -nada más -muy bien, señor
you're not being very helpful → me ayudas bien poco, no me estás siendo de gran ayuda
very high frequency (Rad) (abbr VHF) → frecuencia f muy alta
that's very kind of you → eres muy amable
very much → mucho
"did you enjoy it?" - "very much (so)" → -¿te ha gustado? -sí, mucho
she feels very much better → se encuentra muchísimo mejor
I was very (much) surprised → me sorprendió mucho, para mí fue una gran sorpresa
I didn't like it very much → no me gustó mucho
he very nearly missed the bus → por muy poco pierde el autobús
we don't see each other very often → nos vemos poco, no nos vemos mucho
he's so very poor → es tan pobre
it's not so very difficult → no es tan difícil
very well, I'll do what I can → muy bien or bueno, haré lo que pueda
he couldn't very well refuse → no pudo negarse a hacerlo

2. (= absolutely)
the very best she eats nothing but the very best → sólo come lo mejor de lo mejor
we did our very best → hicimos todo lo que pudimos
at the very earliest → como muy pronto
the very first → el primero de todos
try your very hardest → esfuérzate al máximo
the very last → el último de todos
at the very latest → a más tardar, como muy tarde
at the very least → como mínimo
at the very most → a lo sumo, como mucho, como máximo
that is the very most we can offer → eso es todo lo más que podemos ofrecer
the very next day → precisamente el día siguiente
she was given her very own TV show → le dieron su propio programa de televisión
it's my very own → es el mío
the very same hat → el mismísimo sombrero

3. (alone, in reply to question) → mucho
"are you tired?" - "(yes,) very" → -¿estás cansado? -(sí,) mucho

B. ADJ

1. (= precise) → mismo
the very bishop himself was there → el mismísimo obispo estaba allí
from the very beginning → desde el comienzo mismo
that very day → ese mismo día
in this very house → en esta misma casa
he's the very man we want → es justo el hombre que buscamos
at that very moment → en ese mismo momento
it's the very thing! → ¡es justo lo que necesitamos!
those were his very words → eso fue exactamente lo que dijo

2. (= mere)
the very idea! → ¡qué cosas dices!, ¡cómo se te ocurre!
the very thought (of it) makes me feel sick → con sólo pensarlo me da náuseas

3. (= extreme)
at the very bottom → abajo del todo
at the very end → justo al final, al final de todo
at the very top → arriba del todo

4. (liter) the veriest rascal → el mayor bribón
the veriest simpleton → el más bobo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

very

(ˈveri) adverb

1. to a great degree. He's very clever; You came very quickly; I'm not feeling very well.muy

2. absolutely; in the highest degree. The very first thing you must do is ring the police; She has a car of her very own. de todo; enteramente, completamente

adjective

1. exactly or precisely the thing, person etc mentioned. You're the very man I want to see; At that very minute the door opened.justo, exacto

2. extreme. at the very end of the day; at the very top of the tree.del todo

3. used for emphasis in other ways. The very suggestion of a sea voyage makes her feel seasick.sólo, mero

very well

used to express (reluctant) agreement to a request etc. `Please be home before midnight.' `Very well.'vale, está claro

very

→ muy

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