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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Sterner

Stern \Stern\, a. [Compar. Sterner; superl. Sternest.] [OE. sterne, sturne, AS. styrne; cf. D. stuurish stern, Sw. stursk refractory. [root]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.

The sterne wind so loud gan to rout.
--Chaucer.

I would outstare the sternest eyes that look.
--Shak.

When that the poor have cried, C[ae]sar hath wept; Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
--Shak.

Stern as tutors, and as uncles hard.
--Dryden.

These barren rocks, your stern inheritance.
--Wordsworth.

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

Sterner

Sterner \Stern"er\, n. [See 3d Stern.] A director. [Obs. & R.]
--Dr. R. Clerke.

Wiktionary
sterner

Etymology 1 a. (en-comparative of: stern) Etymology 2

n. (context obsolete rare English) A director.

Wikipedia
Sterner

Sterner is a surname of Germanic origin. The name may refer to:

  • E. Donald Sterner (1894–1983), American lumberman and politician from New Jersey
  • Frederick Sterner (1862–1939), British-born American architect
  • Jerry Sterner (1938–2001), American playwright
  • Mike Sterner, American college football coach in the 1970s
  • Phil Sterner (born 1960), American politician from Minnesota; state legislator
  • Robin Sterner (born 1990), Swedish professional ice hockey player
  • Ulf Sterner (born 1941), Swedish professional ice hockey player

Usage examples of "sterner".

For an instant, he wondered if he should just phone Sterner, and tell him what he needed.

Just like Cole had said, and like neither of them had expected, Eric Sterner had a large and well-kept garden.

The most surprising thing to Cole had been that Sterner did the gardening himself.

When Sterner disappeared into the other room, Rick pushed himself to his feet, and staggered along in his wake.

Just as Sterner bent down to help him, Rick emerged triumphantly with the CD.

He stopped in to see Eric Sterner, who thinks Rick was fixed on helping your friend Jace.

He was still laughing fifteen minutes later, when he took Eric Sterner up to visit Richard Lockmann.

Then I realised Sterner was right: Denaro was a personality type you see pretty often when you work in the field.

It is a service as rigorous as that of Naamahs, and far sterner, which is perhaps why it is no longer popular.

Matrons and maidens vied with each other in affability to the sterner sex.

At the conclusion of the service, every one congratulated the happy couple, the women and girls in tears, the sterner sex without demonstration of feeling.

I went back to the room, and found Van Helsing looking at poor Lucy, and his face was sterner than ever.

But dusk was now thick, and the great carven face looked down even sterner in shadow.

Even though it is Midsummer Festival, we have sterner business to conduct.

I, on the other hand, was made of sterner stuff, so I nodded briefly and went right back to glaring around me.