He did it with grace, humor, honesty and a sternness our politics have lacked in recent years.

FORBES: Why Leadership Matters, And Why Jim Lehrer Deserves Our Thanks

Is he saddened by his own reputation for sternness, or has he just seen the gardening bills for his country estate?

NEWYORKER: Pride & Prejudice

Mr Obama's greater sternness towards Israel is for the general good including Israel's.

ECONOMIST: Israel and the world

It will be Mr Oaten's task to maintain the Lib Dems' admirable concern for civil liberties, while introducing a new sternness on policing and anti-social behaviour.

ECONOMIST: Liberal Democrats

Another is the sternness of the IMF, which says it cannot release next month's tranche of money before it knows that the euro zone will fully fund Greece next year.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

Dictionaries define austerity as economic restriction, scarcity, sternness, hardship.

FORBES: Austerity - The New Worrisome Buzz Word!