How many is 'several'?

ZiggyStar

If I said "I posted on the PJ forum several times this week"....or "I'm going on a holiday in several weeks", how many does several mean to you?

To me, several is about 3 to 6...maybe 7 but that would be the limit. I've been asking around. To some people, several is 10....15....or even more. Wouldn't that be "many"? Few and several overlap a bit for me....but one person I spoke to said few is THREE and only THREE. Is it? It's amazing how greatly peoples' opinions vary. My opinion for the two statements I made above:

A couple -- 2
A few -- 3 or 4
Several -- 3 to 6
Many -- 10+

So I turned to the dictionary:

Few definition: More than 1 but indefinitely small in number
Several definition: More than 2 but not many
Many: A large indefinite number

Wtf? There is no answer!!! *head explodes* :crazy:

frazba

Bored?

ZiggyStar

frazba wrote:

Bored?

Not really.

frazba

Just wondering...

dimitrispearljam

i can answer if the question is about sex...than post in a forum..

ZiggyStar

frazba wrote:

Just wondering...

Just the way my brain works. I think of a question and want to know the answer....but there is no answer!! :x I just got my first iPhone in November and I looooove it for that very reason. Wherever I am, I can think of a question, google it, get my answer. Normally I wait until I get home and then forget. Learn so much more now!!

frazba

I understand, my brains works along similar lines, only I don't have an Iphone and normally don't have time to look it up.

Thoughts_Arrive

Several Hand.

pjfan31

You wouldn't believe it, in the past week I have been asked the same question several times

nothing_man_92

pjfan31 wrote:

You wouldn't believe it, in the past week I have been asked the same question several times

I see what you did there!
Couple = 2
Few = 3
SEVEral = 7
end of story

BinFrog

More than a few, less than most in some cases.

ZiggyStar

nothing_man_92 wrote:

pjfan31 wrote:

You wouldn't believe it, in the past week I have been asked the same question several times

I see what you did there!
Couple = 2
Few = 3
SEVEral = 7
end of story

Several = 7 due to the SEVE....I'm not buying it!

markymark550

To me few is typically 3 to 5, several is 6 to 9, and many is more than 10.

pandora

more than 5 ...

this is the kind of math question I like

Shorty

I'd say it's quite a few.....

ZiggyStar

Shorty wrote:

I'd say it's quite a few.....

Well how many is some?

pandora

some is just enough...?

ZiggyStar

pandora wrote:

some is just enough...?

Arggggghh!!!! :think: :wtf: :crazy:

he still stands

well, when I girl asks me how many other girls I've slept with, I answer "several."

so, "several" apparently means ummm, a lot more than 6.

pandora

he still stands wrote:

well, when I girl asks me how many other girls I've slept with, I answer "several."

so, "several" apparently means ummm, a lot more than 6.

perhaps you should answer umpteen :?

he still stands

pandora wrote:

he still stands wrote:

well, when I girl asks me how many other girls I've slept with, I answer "several."

so, "several" apparently means ummm, a lot more than 6.

perhaps you should answer umpteen :?

"umpteen" wouldn't be accurate either, unfortunately.

mickeyrat

Zig? How many do you want it to be?

Thats how many it is. :P

81

ZiggyStar

mickeyrat wrote:

Zig? How many do you want it to be?

Thats how many it is. :P

I'd be satisfied with more than 3 but less than 10....but ideally it should be 3-6....or 4-7 since 3 is "few"....I'm still on the fence about 7....but 4-6 isn't a big enough range imo so let's broaden it to 3-7. And 8 or 9 does NOT seem like several to me. That's leaning towards many.

I really need to stop thinking about this!

ZiggyStar

81 wrote:

Shut up.

Black Diamond

Who's on First?

ZiggyStar

Black Diamond wrote:

Who's on First?

:shock: Don't do that to me.

polaris_x

it depends on the context ... you could use several to answer the following questions - all with different numbers:

how many EV solo shows have you been to? (3)
how many pairs of shoes do you have? (8)
how many partners have you had? (25)

it all really depends on what A LOT or Many is ... just slot 'several' between 'a few' and 'a lot' ...

Horos

polaris_x wrote:

it depends on the context ... you could use several to answer the following questions - all with different numbers:

how many EV solo shows have you been to? (3)
how many pairs of shoes do you have? (8)
how many partners have you had? (25)

it all really depends on what A LOT or Many is ... just slot 'several' between 'a few' and 'a lot' ...

So you've seen a few EV shows, have several pairs of shoes, and many partners.

ZiggyStar

polaris_x wrote:

it depends on the context ... you could use several to answer the following questions - all with different numbers:

how many EV solo shows have you been to? (3)
how many pairs of shoes do you have? (8)
how many partners have you had? (25)

it all really depends on what A LOT or Many is ... just slot 'several' between 'a few' and 'a lot' ...

I know. That's why I asked people to answer in relation to the two statements I wrote in my first post.

I personally don't think several could be an answer to the third question. But that's just me.

mickeyrat

ZiggyStar wrote:

polaris_x wrote:

it depends on the context ... you could use several to answer the following questions - all with different numbers:

how many EV solo shows have you been to? (3)
how many pairs of shoes do you have? (8)
how many partners have you had? (25)

it all really depends on what A LOT or Many is ... just slot 'several' between 'a few' and 'a lot' ...

I know. That's why I asked people to answer in relation to the two statements I wrote in my first post.

I personally don't think several could be an answer to the third question. But that's just me.

but its one way to get your groove and not be thought of as a slut!!!