Severity

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: Ἀποτομία (Strong'S #663 — Noun Feminine — apotomia — ap-ot-om-ee'-ah )

"steepness, sharpness" (apo, "off," temno, "to cut;" tome, "a cutting"), is used metaphorically in  Romans 11:22 (twice) of "the severity of God," which lies in His temporary retributive dealings with Israel. In the papyri it is used of exacting to the full the provisions of a statue. Cp. the adverb apotomos, "sharply" (which see).

2: Ἀφειδία (Strong'S #857 — Noun Feminine — apheidia — af-i-dee'-ah )

primarily "extravagance" (a, negative, pheidomai, "to spare"), hence, "unsparing treatment, severity," is used in  Colossians 2:23 , RV, "severity (to the body)," AV, "neglecting of" (marg., "punishing, not sparing"); here it refers to ascetic discipline; it was often used among the Greeks of courageous exposure to hardship and danger.

King James Dictionary

SEVER'ITY, n. L. sveritas.

1. Harshness rigor austerity want of mildness or indulgence as the severity of a reprimand or reproof. 2. Rigor extreme strictness as the severity of discipline or government. 3. Excessive figor extreme degree or amount. Severity of penalties or punishments often defeats the object by exciting pity. 4. Extremity quality or power of distressing as the severity of pain or anguish. 5. Extreme degree as the severity of cold or heat. 6. Extreme coldness or inclemency as the severity of the winter. 7. Harshness cruel treatment sharpness of punishment as severity practiced on prisoners of war. 8. Exactness rigor niceness as the severity of a test. 9. Strictness rigid accuracy.

Confining myself to the severity of truth. Dryden.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) The quality or state of being severe.

(2): ( n.) Gravity or austerity; extreme strictness; rigor; harshness; as, the severity of a reprimand or a reproof; severity of discipline or government; severity of penalties.

(3): ( n.) The quality or power of distressing or paining; extreme degree; extremity; intensity; inclemency; as, the severity of pain or anguish; the severity of cold or heat; the severity of the winter.

(4): ( n.) Exactness; rigorousness; strictness; as, the severity of a test.

(5): ( n.) Harshness; cruel treatment; sharpness of punishment; as, severity practiced on prisoners of war.