[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/sternly.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / sternly

[← S](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/S/)

# sternly

«sternly» in Mova's school dictionary: **In a strict, serious and unsmiling way, often when…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

adverb (sternly)

### meaning for a pupil

In a strict, serious and unsmiling way, often when someone has done wrong. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sternly/#m1)

### sense in the lessons

A voice and face word in stories and school: a teacher looks sternly over her glasses; a parent speaks sternly. In The Wind in the Willows Badger speaks sternly to Toad about his motor cars; in Alice in Wonderland the Queen of Hearts and the Duchess speak sternly. It tells the reader there is trouble.

### examples

- «Sit down,» said the teacher sternly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sternly/#x1)
- Badger looked sternly at Toad. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sternly/#x2)
- Dad sternly reminded us to look both ways. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sternly/#x3)
- The judge spoke sternly to the thief. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sternly/#x4)
- She frowned sternly at the muddy boots. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sternly/#x5)
- The sign sternly warned: No Swimming. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sternly/#x6)
- “You know it now,” the king replied sternly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/sternly/#x7)

### note

Adverb from «stern» (sterner, sternest). Do not confuse with the noun «stern», the back part of a boat (Rat sat in the stern).

### Trees and pragmatics

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