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# harsh

«harsh» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **Cruel, unkind or too strict: «a harsh punishment», «harsh…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (harsh, harsher, harshest); adverb harshly

### meaning for a pupil

1) Cruel, unkind or too strict: «a harsh punishment», «harsh words». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#m1)

2) Very difficult to live in: «a harsh winter», «a harsh desert». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#m2)

3) Unpleasant to the senses: too loud, bright or rough: «harsh light», «a harsh voice». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#m3)

4) (slang) Unfair or a bit mean: «That's harsh, mate!» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: Describes the hard, rough way of those who betray what is right. Interpretation: Proverbs teaches that wisdom brings grace while betrayal leads to hard trouble. In the primary lessons: In stories harsh weather and harsh rulers make life hard for characters. In science lessons «harsh environments» like deserts and the Arctic show how animals adapt. In everyday kid talk «harsh!» means «that's unfair». Phrases: «harsh conditions», «harsh reality», «harsh words», «be harsh on someone».

### examples

- Good understanding giveth grace; but the way of the faithless is harsh. (Writings PRO.13.15, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#x1)
- The punishment was too harsh for such a small mistake. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#x2)
- Polar bears live in a harsh climate. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#x3)
- The harsh light hurt my eyes. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#x4)
- Don't be so harsh on your little brother. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#x5)
- «You got detention for that? Harsh!» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#x6)
- The coach's harsh words made him cry. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#x7)
- Camels can survive harsh desert conditions. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#x8)
- Fionn’s brother, Cairell Whiteskin, broke into the conversation with a harsh laugh. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/#x9)

### note

Regular comparison: harsher, harshest. Noun: harshness. Opposites: gentle, mild, soft. Spelling: one s, then h.

### In the corpora

- [Good understanding giveth grace; but the way of the faithless is harsh.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PRO.364/)
- [TV talent shows are edited to be dramatic, so harsh comments and tears are often shown more because they get more viewers.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/arts/8-singing-choirs-and-talent-shows/8/)
- [Long ago people made soap by boiling fat with lye from wood ash, a very harsh alkali, so not a kitchen experiment.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chemistry/24-soap-and-why-washing-works/7/)
- [Some families have one warm parent and one cold or harsh one.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/496-parents-who-row-and-one-kind-and-one-not/11/)
- [Proverbs 15:1 says «A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger».](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/11-psalms-and-proverbs/14/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «harsh» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/H/harsh/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.