She was an irritable, nervous woman brought up to expect high standards by her stern father.

Howard Mann is believable as the stern father, a man who can never compensate for the loss of his wife and family.

I think of myself as a basically good man: a hard worker, a loving and faithful husband, a stern but doting father.

The assumption growing up under his stern father was that he would go into the family business.

Always distant from his stern father, a successful furrier, Arthur decided not to enter the family business.

She resorts to poison to free herself of her stern father, selfish husband and avaricious brother.

He spoke like a stern father, addressing errant children.

I blamed myself, you see, for being such a stern father.

Octavian and Alexander looked like hard, uncompromising men formed in the image of their stern father.

Ted is paid $500 to keep an eye on the children by the stern father, who orders them not to misbehave.