Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old French
Origin: verai, from Latin verax 'truthful', from verus 'true'

very

2 adjective
     
very2 S2 W1 [only before noun]
used to emphasize that you are talking exactly about one particular thing or person:
He died in this very room.
I'll start at the very beginning.
Those were his very words.
You'd better start doing some work this very minute (=now, not later).
That might provoke a riot, the very thing he was trying to avoid.
The very fact that you are reading this book suggests you want to improve your fitness.
By its very nature, capitalism involves exploitation of the worker.
His life's work was being destroyed before his very eyes (=directly in front of him).
the very thought/idea/mention (of something) (=just thinking about or suggesting something)
The very thought of food made me feel ill.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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