Very Meaning
/ˈvɛɹi/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
advTo a great extent or degree.
advConforming to fact, reality or rule; true.
Sentence Examples
My mom doesn't speak English very well.
"That's very nice of you," Willie answered.
He might be phoning her at this very moment.
CEFR Practice Quiz
That is the ____ bike that I saw parked outside the store.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I am ____ tired this evening after a long and productive day at the office, so I will go to bed soon today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English verray, from Old French verai (“true”), from Early Medieval Latin vērāgus, from Classical Latin vērāx, derived from vērus, from Proto-Italic *wēros, from Proto-Indo-European *weh₁ros. Distantly cognate with the Old English wǣr (“true”). Over time displaced the use of a number of Germanic words or prefixes to convey the sense 'very' such as fele, full-, mægen, sore, sin-, swith, (partially) wel.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Then his sallow face brightened, for the hall had been carefully furnished, and was very clean.
There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls."
— 1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0091:
"“[…] They talk of you as if you were Croesus—and I expect the beggars sponge on you unconscionably.” And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes."
— 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
"[…] I am the veriest varlet that ever chewed with a tooth."
— c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
"And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not."
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 27:21:
"The very essence of truth is plainnesse, and brightnes; the darknes and crookednesse is our own."
— 1641 May, John Milton, Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England: And the Causes that hitherto have Hindred it. […], [London]: […] Thomas Vnderhill, →OCLC:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
That is the ____ bike that I saw parked outside the store.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I am ____ tired this evening after a long and productive day at the office, so I will go to bed soon today.