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shrewdnessmore about shrewdness

shrewdness


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Shrewd  \Shrewd\,  a.  [Compar.  {Shrewder};  superl.  {Shrewdest}.] 
  [Originally  the  p.  p.  of  shrew,  v.t.] 
  1.  Inclining  to  shrew;  disposing  to  curse  or  scold;  hence 
  vicious;  malicious;  evil;  wicked;  mischievous;  vexatious; 
  rough;  unfair;  shrewish.  [Obs.]  --Chaucer. 
 
  [Egypt]  hath  many  shrewd  havens,  because  of  the 
  great  rocks  that  ben  strong  and  dangerous  to  pass 
  by  --Sir  J. 
  Mandeville. 
 
  Every  of  this  happy  number  That  have  endured  shrewd 
  days  and  nights  with  us  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Artful;  wily;  cunning;  arch. 
 
  These  women  are  shrewd  tempters  with  their  tongues. 
  --Shak. 
 
  3.  Able  or  clever  in  practical  affairs;  sharp  in  business; 
  astute;  sharp-witted;  sagacious;  keen;  as  a  shrewd 
  observer;  a  shrewd  design;  a  shrewd  reply. 
 
  Professing  to  despise  the  ill  opinion  of  mankind 
  creates  a  shrewd  suspicion  that  we  have  deserved  it 
  --Secker. 
 
  Syn:  Keen;  critical;  subtle;  artful;  astute;  sagacious; 
  discerning;  acute;  penetrating. 
 
  Usage:  {Shrewd},  {Sagacious}.  One  who  is  shrewd  is  keen  to 
  detect  errors,  to  penetrate  disguises,  to  foresee  and 
  guard  against  the  selfishness  of  others  Shrewd  is  a 
  word  of  less  dignity  than  sagacious,  which  implies  a 
  comprehensive  as  well  as  penetrating  mind,  whereas 
  shrewd  does  not  --  {Shrewd"ly},  adv  -- 
  {Shrewd"ness},  n. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  shrewdness 
  n  :  intelligence  manifested  by  being  astute  (as  in  business 
  dealings)  [syn:  {astuteness},  {perspicacity},  {perspicaciousness}] 




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