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keen |
5 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Keen \Keen\ (k[=e]n), a. [Compar. {Keener} (-[~e]r); superl. {Keenest}.] [OE. kene sharp, bold, AS c[=e]ne bold; akin to D. koen, OHG. kuoni G. k["u]hn, OSw. kyn, k["o]n, Icel. k[ae]nn, for k[oe]nn wise; perh. akin to E. ken, can to be able. [root]45. ] 1. Sharp; having a fine edge or point; as a keen razor, or a razor with a keen edge. A bow he bare and arwes [arrows] bright and kene. --Chaucer. That my keen knife see not the wound it makes --Shak. 2. Acute of mind; sharp; penetrating; having or expressing mental acuteness; as a man of keen understanding; a keen look keen features. To make our wits more keen. --Shak. Before the keen inquiry of her thought. --Cowper. 3. Bitter; piercing; acrimonious; cutting; stinging; severe; as keen satire or sarcasm. Good father cardinal, cry thou amen To my keen curses. --Shak. 4. Piercing; penetrating; cutting; sharp; -- applied to cold, wind, etc,; as a keen wind; the cold is very keen. Breasts the keen air, and carols as he goes. --Goldsmith. 5. Eager; vehement; fierce; as a keen appetite. ``Of full kene will.'' --Piers Plowman. So keen and greedy to confound a man. --Shak. Note: Keen is often used in the composition of words most of which are of obvious signification; as keen-edged, keen-eyed, keen-sighted, keen-witted, etc Syn: Prompt; eager; ardent; sharp; acute; cutting; penetrating; biting; severe; sarcastic; satirical; piercing; shrewd. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Keen \Keen\, v. t. To sharpen; to make cold. [R.] Cold winter keens the brightening flood. --Thomson. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Keen \Keen\, n. [Ir. caoine.] A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf {Coranach}. [Ireland] --Froude. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Keen \Keen\, v. i. To wail as a keener does [Ireland] From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: keen adj 1: having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions; "an acute observer of politics and politicians"; "incisive comments"; "icy knifelike reasoning"; "as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang"; "penetrating insight"; "frequent penetrative observations" [syn: {acute}, {discriminating}, {incisive}, {knifelike}, {penetrating}, {penetrative}, {piercing}, {sharp}] 2: intense or sharp; "suffered exquisite pain"; "felt exquisite pleasure" [syn: {exquisite}] 3: very penetrating and clear and sharp in operation; "an incisive mind"; "a keen intelligence"; "of sharp and active intellect" [syn: {incisive}, {sharp}] 4: (informal) very good; "a bully pulpit"; "a cool sports car"; "had a great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing" [syn: {bang-up}, {bully}, {cool}, {corking}, {cracking}, {dandy}, {great}, {groovy}, {neat}, {nifty}, {not bad(p)}, {peachy}, {slap-up}, {swell}, {smashing}] 5: as physically painful as if caused by a sharp instrument; "a cutting wind"; "keen winds"; "knifelike cold"; "piercing knifelike pains"; "piercing cold"; "piercing criticism"; "a stabbing pain"; "a gray world with ice and toothed winds" [syn: {cutting}, {knifelike}, {piercing}, {stabbing}] 6: having a sharp cutting edge or point; "a keen blade" n : (Irish) a funeral lament sung with loud wailing v : express grief verbally [syn: {lament}]
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