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Keen

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keen

1[keen]
–adjective, -er, -est.
1. finely sharpened, as an edge; so shaped as to cut or pierce substances readily: a keen razor.
2. sharp, piercing, or biting: a keen wind; keen satire.
3. characterized by strength and distinctness of perception; extremely sensitive or responsive: keen eyes; keen ears.
4. having or showing great mental penetration or acumen: keen reasoning; a keen mind.
5. animated by or showing strong feeling or desire: keen competition.
6. intense, as feeling or desire: keen ambition; keen jealousy.
7. eager; interested; enthusiastic (often fol. by about, on, etc., or an infinitive): She is really keen on going swimming.
8. Slang. great; wonderful; marvelous.

Origin:
bef. 900; 1930–35 for def. 8; ME kene, OE cēne; c. G kühn, OHG chuoni bold, ON kœnn wise, skillful


keenly, adverb
keenness, noun


1, 4. See sharp. 2. cutting, bitter, caustic. 3. piercing, penetrating, acute. 4. discerning, acute, astute, sagacious, shrewd, clever. 5. See avid. 7. earnest, fervid.


1, 3, 4. dull.

keen

2[keen]
–noun
1. a wailing lament for the dead.
–verb (used without object)
2. to wail in lamentation for the dead.
–verb (used with object)
3. to bewail or lament by or with keening.

Origin:
1805–15; < Ir caoine (n.), caoin- (v., s. of caoinim) lament


keener, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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keen 1   (kēn)   
adj.   keen·er, keen·est
  1. Having a fine, sharp cutting edge or point.

  2. Having or marked by intellectual quickness and acuity. See Synonyms at sharp.

  3. Acutely sensitive: a keen ear.

  4. Sharp; vivid; strong: "His entire body hungered for keen sensation, something exciting" (Richard Wright).

  5. Intense; piercing: a keen wind.

  6. Pungent; acrid: A keen smell of skunk was left behind.

    1. Ardent; enthusiastic: a keen chess player.

    2. Eagerly desirous: keen on going to Europe in the spring.

  7. Slang Great; splendid; fine: What a keen day!


[Middle English kene, from Old English cēne, brave.]
keen'ly adv., keen'ness n.
keen 2   (kēn)   
n.  A loud, wailing lament for the dead.
intr.v.   keened, keen·ing, keens
To wail in lamentation, especially for the dead. See Synonyms at cry.

[From Irish Gaelic caoineadh, from caoninim, I lament, from Old Irish caínim, coínim, perhaps of Brittonic origin.]
keen'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

keen  (adj.)
O.E. cene "bold brave," later "clever, wise," from P.Gmc. *kan- "be able to" (see can). Original prehistoric senses seem to have been both "brave" and "Skilled;" cf. O.N. kænn "skillful, wise," M.Du. coene "bold," O.H.G. kuon "pugnacious, strong," Ger. Kühn "bold, daring." Sense of "eager" is from c.1350. The meaning "sharp" is peculiar to Eng.: of blades and edges c.1225, of sounds c.1400, of eyesight c.1720. A popular word of approval in teenager and student slang from c.1900.

keen  (v.)
"lament," 1811, from Ir. caoinim "I weep, wail, lament," from O.Ir. coinim.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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