Stern

• POS: Adjective, Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

Stern, n. [AS. stearn a kind of bird. See Starling.].

 The black tern.  [1913 Webster]

Stern, a. [OE. sterne, sturne, AS. styrne; cf. D. stuurish stern, Sw. stursk refractory. √166.].

 Having a certain hardness or severity of nature, manner, or aspect; hard; severe; rigid; rigorous; austere; fixed; unchanging; unrelenting; hence, serious; resolute; harsh; as, a sternresolve; a stern necessity; a stern heart; a stern gaze; a stern decree.  [1913 Webster]
"The sterne wind so loud gan to rout."  [1913 Webster]
"I would outstare the sternest eyes that look."  [1913 Webster]
"When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath wept;
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff."  [1913 Webster]
"Stern as tutors, and as uncles hard."  [1913 Webster]
"These barren rocks, your stern inheritance."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Gloomy; sullen; forbidding; strict; unkind; hard-hearted; unfeeling; cruel; pitiless.

Stern, n. [Icel. stjōrn a steering, or a doubtful AS. steórn. √166. See Steer, v. t.].

•  The helm or tiller of a vessel or boat; also, the rudder.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  The after or rear end of a ship or other vessel, or of a boat; the part opposite to the stem, or prow.  [1913 Webster]
•  Fig.: The post of management or direction.  [1913 Webster]

  "And sit chiefest stern of public weal."  [1913 Webster]
•  The hinder part of anything.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]
•  The tail of an animal; -- now used only of the tail of a dog.  [1913 Webster]

By the stern. (Naut.) See By the head, under By.

Stern, a. 

 Being in the stern, or being astern; as, the stern davits.  [1913 Webster]

Stern board (Naut.), a going or falling astern; a loss of way in making a tack; as, to make a stern board. See Board, n., 8 (b). -- Stern chase. (Naut.) (a) See under Chase, n. (b) A stern chaser. -- Stern chaser (Naut.), a cannon placed in a ship's stern, pointing backward, and intended to annoy a ship that is in pursuit. -- Stern fast (Naut.), a rope used to confine the stern of a ship or other vessel, as to a wharf or buoy. -- Stern frame (Naut.), the framework of timber forms the stern of a ship. -- Stern knee. See Sternson. -- Stern port (Naut.), a port, or opening, in the stern of a ship. -- Stern sheets (Naut.), that part of an open boat which is between the stern and the aftmost seat of the rowers, -- usually furnished with seats for passengers. -- Stern wheel, a paddle wheel attached to the stern of the steamboat which it propels.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Stern, adj. severe, grim, strict; enforcing discipline or submission (a stern expression; stern treatment).

Idiom

the sterner sex men.

Derivative

sternly adv. sternness n.

Stern, n.
1 the rear part of a ship or boat.
2 any rear part.

Idiom

stern foremost moving backwards. stern on with the stern presented. stern-post the central upright support at the stern, usu. bearing the rudder.

Derivative

sterned adj. (also in comb.). sternmost adj. sternward adj. & adv. sternwards adv.

Etymology

ME prob. f. ON stj{oacute}rn steering f. st|ra STEER(1)

THESAURUS

Stern

Spartan, Spartanic, adamant, adamantine, afterpart, afterpiece, arse, ascetic, ass, astringent, austere, authoritarian, back, back door, back seat, back side, backside, beam, behind, bottom, breech, bum, butt, can, cast-iron, cheeks, churlish, counter, crabbed, crabby, critical, crusty, demanding, derriere, determined, dour, exacting, exigent, fanny, fantail, firm, flinty, forbidding, frowning, gloomy, grave, grim, gruff, hard, hard-core, harsh, heel, hind end, hind part, hindhead, immovable, immutable, implacable, impliable, inclement, inelastic, inexorable, inflexible, intransigent, iron, irreconcilable, keister, lugubrious, meticulous, mortified, obdurate, occiput, poop, posterior, postern, prat, rear, rear end, rearward, relentless, resolute, reverse, rigid, rigorous, rock-ribbed, rough, rudderpost, rugged, rump, rusty-dusty, saturnine, serious, severe, sour, steadfast, steely, stiff, stony, strict, stringent, taciturn, tail, tail end, tailpiece, tough, tuchis, tush, tushy, unaffected, unalterable, unbending, unchangeable, uncompromising, unforgiving, ungentle, ungiving, unmoved, unrelenting, unremitting, unsparing, unsympathetic, unyielding

ROGET THESAURUS

Stern

Severity

N severity, strictness, harshness, rigor, stringency, austerity, inclemency, arrogance, precisianism, arbitrary power, absolutism, despotism, dictatorship, autocracy, tyranny, domineering, oppression, assumption, usurpation, inquisition, reign of terror, martial law, iron heel, iron rule, iron hand, iron sway, tight grasp, brute force, brute strength, coercion, strong hand, tight hand, hard lines, hard measure, tender mercies, sharp practice, pipe-clay, officialism, tyrant, disciplinarian, precisian, martinet, stickler, bashaw, despot, hard master, Draco, oppressor, inquisitor, extortioner, harpy, vulture, accipitres, birds of prey, raptorials, raptors, severe, strict, hard, harsh, dour, rigid, stiff, stern, rigorous, uncompromising, exacting, exigent, exigeant, inexorable, inflexible, obdurate, austere, hard-headed, hard-nosed, hard-shell, relentless, Spartan, Draconian, stringent, strait-laced, searching, unsparing, iron-handed, peremptory, absolute, positive, arbitrary, imperative, coercive, tyrannical, extortionate, grinding, withering, oppressive, inquisitorial, inclement, cruel, haughty, arrogant, precisian, severely, with a high hand, with a strong hand, with a tight hand, with a heavy hand, at the point of the sword, at the point of the bayonet, Delirant reges plectuntur Achivi, manu forti, ogni debole ha sempre il suo tiranno.

Rear

N rear, back, posteriority, rear rank, rear guard, background, hinterland, occiput, nape, chine, heels, tail, rump, croup, buttock, posteriors, backside scut, breech, dorsum, loin, dorsal region, lumbar region, hind quarters, aitchbone, natch, natch bone, stern, poop, afterpart, heelpiece, crupper, wake, train, reverse, other side of the shield, back, rear, hind, hinder, hindmost, hindermost, postern, posterior, dorsal, after, caudal, lumbar, mizzen, tergal, behind, in the rear, in the background, behind one's back, at the heels of, at the tail of, at the back of, back to back, after, aft, abaft, astern, sternmost, aback, rearward, ogni medaglia ha il suo rovescio, the other side of the coin.

Discourtesy

N discourtesy, ill breeding, ill manners, bad manners, ungainly manners, insuavity, uncourteousness rusticity, inurbanity, illiberality, incivility displacency, disrespect, procacity, impudence: barbarism, barbarity, misbehavior, brutality, blackguardism, conduct unbecoming a gentleman, grossieret_e, brusquerie, vulgarity, churlishness, spinosity, perversity, moroseness, sternness, austerity, moodishness, captiousness, cynicism, tartness, acrimony, acerbity, virulence, asperity, scowl, black looks, frown, short answer, rebuff, hard words, contumely, unparliamentary language, personality, bear, bruin, brute, blackguard, beast, unlicked cub, frump, crosspatch, saucebox, crooked stick, grizzly, discourteous, uncourteous, uncourtly, ill-bred, ill-mannered, ill-behaved, ill-conditioned, unbred, unmannerly, unmannered, impolite, unpolite, unpolished, uncivilized, ungenteel, ungentleman-like, ungentlemanly, unladylike, blackguard, vulgar, dedecorous, foul- mouthed foul-spoken, abusive, uncivil, ungracious, unceremonious, cool, pert, forward, obtrusive, impudent, rude, saucy, precocious, repulsive, uncomplaisant, unaccommodating, unneighborly, ungallant, inaffable, ungentle, ungainly, rough, rugged, bluff, blunt, gruff, churlish, boorish, bearish, brutal, brusque, stern, harsh, austere, cavalier, taint, sour, crabbed, sharp, short, trenchant, sarcastic, biting, doggish, caustic, virulent, bitter, acrimonious, venomous, contumelious, snarling, surly, surly as a bear, perverse, grim, sullen, peevish, untactful, impolitic, undiplomatic, artless, discourteously, with discourtesy, with a bad grace.