1
- (of a person or their manner) serious and unrelenting, especially in the assertion of authority and exercise of discipline（人或其态度）严厉的; 认真的; 不屈从的：
a smile transformed his stern face
一个笑容改变了他那严肃的脸庞
Mama looked stern.
妈妈看上去很严肃。
1.1
- (of an act or statement) strict and severe; using extreme measures or terms（法令, 陈述）严格的, 严厉的：
stern measures to restrict vehicle growth.
限制车辆增加的严厉措施。
1.2
- (of competition or opposition) putting someone or something under extreme pressure（竞争, 对立）严峻的, 严酷的：
the past year has been a stern test of the ability of British industry.
过去的一年是对英国工业能力的一个严峻考验。
短语
be made of sterner stuff
- have a stronger character and be more able to overcome problems than others个性更坚强：
whereas James was deeply wounded by the failure, George was made of sterner stuff.
尽管詹姆斯由于失败而受到很深的伤害, 然而乔治的个性却更坚强。
[ORIGIN: from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar （iii. 2.93）.]
the sterner sex
- archaic men regarded collectively and in contrast to women〈古〉［总称］男性。
派生词
sternly
adverbsternness
noun词源
Old English styrne, probably from the West Germanic base of the verb STARE.
1
- the rearmost part of a ship or boat船尾, 艉：
he stood at the stern of the yacht.
他站在游艇的尾部。
1.1
- humorous a person's bottom〈幽默〉（人的）臀, 臀部：
my stern can't take too much sun.
我的臀部晒再多的太阳都没事。
派生词
sterned
adjective一艘尾部是方形的船。
sternmost
adjectivesternwards
adverb词源
Middle English: probably from Old Norse stjórn 'steering', from stra 'to steer'.