The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Stern \Stern\, n. [AS. stearn a kind of bird. See Starling.]
   (Zool.)
   The black tern.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Stern \Stern\, a. [Compar. Sterner; superl. Sternest.] [OE.
   sterne, sturne, AS. styrne; cf. D. stuurish stern, Sw. stursk
   refractory. [root]166.]
   Having a certain hardness or severity of nature, manner, or
   aspect; hard; severe; rigid; rigorous; austere; fixed;
   unchanging; unrelenting; hence, serious; resolute; harsh; as,
   a sternresolve; a stern necessity; a stern heart; a stern
   gaze; a stern decree.
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         The sterne wind so loud gan to rout.     --Chaucer.
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         I would outstare the sternest eyes that look. --Shak.
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         When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept;
         Ambition should be made of sterner stuff. --Shak.
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         Stern as tutors, and as uncles hard.     --Dryden.
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         These barren rocks, your stern inheritance.
                                                  --Wordsworth.
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   Syn: Gloomy; sullen; forbidding; strict; unkind;
        hard-hearted; unfeeling; cruel; pitiless.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Stern \Stern\, n. [Icel. stj[=o]rn a steering, or a doubtful AS.
   ste['o]rn. [root]166. See Steer, v. t.]
   1. The helm or tiller of a vessel or boat; also, the rudder.
      [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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   2. (Naut.) The after or rear end of a ship or other vessel,
      or of a boat; the part opposite to the stem, or prow.
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   3. Fig.: The post of management or direction.
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            And sit chiefest stern of public weal. --Shak.
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   4. The hinder part of anything. --Spenser.
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   5. The tail of an animal; -- now used only of the tail of a
      dog.
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   By the stern. (Naut.) See By the head, under By.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Stern \Stern\, a.
   Being in the stern, or being astern; as, the stern davits.
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   Stern board (Naut.), a going or falling astern; a loss of
      way in making a tack; as, to make a stern board. See
      Board, n., 8
   (b) .

   Stern chase. (Naut.)
   (a) See under Chase, n.
   (b) A stern chaser.

   Stern chaser (Naut.), a cannon placed in a ship's stern,
      pointing backward, and intended to annoy a ship that is in
      pursuit.

   Stern fast (Naut.), a rope used to confine the stern of a
      ship or other vessel, as to a wharf or buoy.

   Stern frame (Naut.), the framework of timber forms the
      stern of a ship.

   Stern knee. See Sternson.

   Stern port (Naut.), a port, or opening, in the stern of a
      ship.

   Stern sheets (Naut.), that part of an open boat which is
      between the stern and the aftmost seat of the rowers, --
      usually furnished with seats for passengers.

   Stern wheel, a paddle wheel attached to the stern of the
      steamboat which it propels.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

stern
    adj 1: of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in
           aspect; "an austere expression"; "a stern face" [syn:
           austere, stern]
    2: not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty; "grim
       determination"; "grim necessity"; "Russia's final hour, it
       seemed, approached with inexorable certainty"; "relentless
       persecution"; "the stern demands of parenthood" [syn: grim,
       inexorable, relentless, stern, unappeasable,
       unforgiving, unrelenting]
    3: severe and unremitting in making demands; "an exacting
       instructor"; "a stern disciplinarian"; "strict standards"
       [syn: stern, strict, exacting]
    4: severely simple; "a stark interior" [syn: austere,
       severe, stark, stern]
    n 1: the rear part of a ship [syn: stern, after part,
         quarter, poop, tail]
    2: United States concert violinist (born in Russia in 1920)
       [syn: Stern, Isaac Stern]
    3: the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on; "he
       deserves a good kick in the butt"; "are you going to sit on
       your fanny and do nothing?" [syn: buttocks, nates,
       arse, butt, backside, bum, buns, can,
       fundament, hindquarters, hind end, keister,
       posterior, prat, rear, rear end, rump, stern,
       seat, tail, tail end, tooshie, tush, bottom,
       behind, derriere, fanny, ass]