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Literary notes about very (AI summary)

In literature, the word “very” functions primarily as an intensifier that sharpens the qualities of adjectives and adverbs, lending greater emotional, descriptive, or narrative force to the text. Authors use it to underscore physical sensations—as in “the frost was very bitter” [1] or to pinpoint proximity and immediacy, such as “she was very near crying” [2]. It also appears in dialogues to add a tone of understatement or emphasis, for example, “Very well,” returned Tom [3], and even in structural moments where highlighting beginnings is essential, as seen in “to begin at the very beginning” [4]. Whether stressing the subtle nuances of character traits or emphasizing the severity of situations—as in “the very worst passions” [5]—“very” serves as a versatile tool that enriches the narrative and adds rhythm to the prose.
  1. The frost was very bitter, and I rushed through loop-holes and passages, over gables and roofs with keen and cutting swiftness.
    — from Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen by H. C. Andersen
  2. At intervals I stole a look at her face, and could see that she was very near crying.
    — from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova
  3. ‘Very well,’ returned Tom.
    — from Hard Times by Charles Dickens
  4. To begin at the very beginning.
    — from Pascal's Pensées by Blaise Pascal
  5. The very worst passions were let loose in carrying out this policy.
    — from A History of the Philippines by David P. Barrows

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