serious Copy link Outline I. Grave in manner or dispositionII. Weighty, important, not trifling1. grăvis, e (opp. to levis, of small matter or moment)2. sērius (opp. to the idea of sport or frivolity3. sĕvērus (rare in this sense when used of things) • serious: I. Grave in manner or disposition: sĕvērus (never given to trifling or sport): a s. and grave citizen, civis s. et gravis, Cic. Am. 25, 95: the gravest and most s. of all, omnium gravissimus et severissimus, id. de Or. 2, 56, 228: I will take away the gift of song from the s., adimam cantare severis, Hor. Ep. 1, 19, 9. II. Weighty, important, not trifling: 1. grăvis, e (opp. to levis, of small matter or moment): it is a s. thing for a modest man to ask for anything of consequence, grave est homini pudenti petere aliquid magnum, Cic. Fam. 2, 6, init.: more s. wars, graviora bella, Cic. Rep. 1, 40, fin. 2. sērius (opp. to the idea of sport or frivolity: properly only of things): grave and s. things, graves seriaeque res, Cic. Off. 1, 39, 103: that he should not transact any s. business on that day, ne quid eo die s. rei gereret, Liv. 10, 7, fin.: cf. Suet. Calig. 32, init. (seriae questiones per tormenta habebantur). Esp. neut. pl. as subs.: sēria, orum (s. matters): jokes and s. things, joca et s., Cic. Fin. 2, 26, 85: let us put jesting aside, and inquire into s. things, amoto quaeramus s. ludo, Hor. S. 1, 1, 27: s. things and jests, seria atque jocos, Liv. 1, 4, fin. 3. sĕvērus (rare in this sense when used of things): leave s. subjects, linque severa, Hor. Od. 3, 8, 28.