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acute

 - 5 dictionary results

a⋅cute

  [uh-kyoot]
Use acute in a Sentence
–adjective
1. sharp or severe in effect; intense: acute sorrow; an acute pain.
2. extremely great or serious; crucial; critical: an acute shortage of oil.
3. (of disease) brief and severe (opposed to chronic ).
4. sharp or penetrating in intellect, insight, or perception: an acute observer.
5. extremely sensitive even to slight details or impressions: acute eyesight.
6. sharp at the end; ending in a point.
7. Geometry.
a. (of an angle) less than 90°.
b. (of a triangle) containing only acute angles.
8. consisting of, indicated by, or bearing the mark ´, placed over vowel symbols in some languages to show that the vowels or the syllables they are in are pronounced in a certain way, as in French that the quality of an e so marked is close; in Hungarian that the vowel is long; in Spanish that the marked syllable bears the word accent; in Ibo that it is pronounced with high tones; or in classical Greek, where the mark originated, that the syllable bears the word accent and is pronounced, according to the ancient grammarians, with raised pitch (opposed to grave ): the acute accent; an acute e.
–noun
9. the acute accent.
Origin:
1560–70; < L acūtus sharpened, ptp. of acuere (acū-, v. stem, akin to acus needle, ācer sharp + -tus ptp. suffix)

Related forms:
a⋅cute⋅ly, adverb
a⋅cute⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
3. sudden, distressing, violent. 4. keen, astute, discerning, perceptive, intelligent, perspicacious; sharp-witted, clever, smart, bright, ingenious, brilliant; knowing, wise, sage, sagacious, sapient. Acute, penetrating, shrewd imply a keenness of understanding, perception, or insight. Acute suggests particularly a clearness of perception and a realization of related meanings: an acute intellect. Penetrating adds the idea of depth of perception and a realization of implications: a wise and penetrating judgment. Shrewd adds the idea of knowing how to apply practically (or to one's own advantage) what one perceives and understands: wary and shrewd. 5. keen.

Antonyms:
1, 4, 5. dull.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To acute
a·cute   (ə-kyōōt')   
adj.  

  1. Having a sharp point or tip.

  2. Keenly perceptive or discerning: "a raw, chilling and psychologically acute novel of human passions reduced to their deadliest essence" (Literary Guild Magazine). See Synonyms at sharp.

  3. Reacting readily to stimuli or impressions; sensitive: His hearing was unusually acute.

  4. Of great importance or consequence; crucial: an acute lack of research funds.

  5. Extremely sharp or severe; intense: acute pain; acute relief.

  6. Medicine

    1. Having a rapid onset and following a short but severe course: acute disease.

    2. Afflicted by a disease exhibiting a rapid onset followed by a short, severe course: acute patients.

  7. Music High in pitch; shrill.

  8. Geometry Having an acute angle: an acute triangle.


[Latin acūtus, past participle of acuere, to sharpen, from acus, needle; see ak- in Indo-European roots.]
a·cute'ly adv., a·cute'ness 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

acute 
1570, from L. acutus "sharp, pointed," pp. of acuere "sharpen" (see acuity). Medical sense of "fever or disease that comes and goes quickly" (rather than a chronic one) first recorded 1667.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: acute
Pronunciation: &-'kyüt
Function: adjective
1 : sensing or perceiving accurately, clearly, effectively, or sensitively<acute vision>
2 a : characterized by sharpness or severity <acute pain> acute infection> b (1) : having a sudden onset,sharp rise, and short course acute disease> acute inflammation> —compare CHRONIC 2a (2) : ACUTE CARE acute hospital> c : lasting a short time <acuteexperiments> —acute·ly adverb —acute·ness noun
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

acute a·cute (ə-ky&oomacr;t')
adj.

  1. Pointed at the end; sharp.

  2. Of or relating to a disease or a condition with a rapid onset and a short, severe course.

  3. Of or relating to a patient afflicted with such a disease.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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