several

sev|er|al [ `sev(ə)rəl ] function word, quantifier ***

Several can be used in the following ways:

as a determiner (followed by a plural noun):

Several buildings were damaged by the explosion.

as a pronoun:

If you want to see Edward's paintings, there are several in the city art gallery. (followed by of ):

I've introduced her to several of my friends.

Several of us will be attending the conference.

as an adjective (after a word such as the, his, or these, and followed by a noun):

Ariel is one of his several nieces.

These past several weeks have been difficult for the whole family.

1. ) a number of people or things that is more than two or three, but not many:

The strike lasted for several days.

He had already been warned several times about speeding.

Tobin wrote several books, including Decision of Destiny.

The cough was one of her several nervous habits.

There are only nine men in the program, but several have drug problems.

several of: Several of the passengers were badly injured.

several hundred/thousand etc.: City officials have lost several hundred thousand dollars in bad investments.

2. ) only before noun LITERARY various or separate:

They departed and went their several ways.

3. ) LEGAL relating to individual people separately:

joint and several liability