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11 dictionary results for: Keen
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
keen1 
[keen] Pronunciation Key
—Related forms
[keen] Pronunciation Key –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 céne; c. G kühn, OHG chuoni bold, ON kɶnn wise, skillful]
] —Related forms
keenly, adverb
keenness, noun
—Synonyms 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.
—Antonyms 1, 3, 4. dull.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
keen2
[keen] Pronunciation Key
—Related forms
[keen] Pronunciation Key –noun
–verb (used without object)
–verb (used with object)
| 1. | a wailing lament for the dead. |
| 2. | to wail in lamentation for the dead. |
| 3. | to bewail or lament by or with keening. |
[Origin: 1805–15; < Ir caoine (n.), caoin- (v., s. of caoinim) lament]
] —Related forms
keener, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| keen 1
(kēn) Pronunciation Key
adj. keen·er, keen·est
[Middle English kene, from Old English cēne, brave.] keen'ly adv., keen'ness n. |
(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| keen 2
(kēn) Pronunciation Key
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. |
(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
keen (adj.)
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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
keen (v.)
keen (v.)
"lament," 1811, from Ir. caoinim "I weep, wail, lament," from O.Ir. coinim.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| keen | |
adjective | |
| 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] |
| 2. | intense or sharp; "suffered exquisite pain"; "felt exquisite pleasure" [syn: exquisite] |
| 3. | very good; "he did a bully job"; "a neat sports car"; "had a great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing" |
| 4. | 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"; "lancinating pain" [syn: cutting] |
| 5. | having a sharp cutting edge or point; "a keen blade" |
noun | |
| 1. | a funeral lament sung with loud wailing |
verb | |
| 1. | express grief verbally; "we lamented the death of the child" [syn: lament] |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
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.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Keen
Keen\, v. t. To sharpen; to make cold. [R.] Cold winter keens the brightening flood. --Thomson.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Keen
Keen\, n. [Ir. caoine.] A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. Coranach. [Ireland] --Froude.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Keen
Keen\, v. i. To wail as a keener does. [Ireland]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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