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keen - 10 dictionary results
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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
bef. 900; 1930–35 for def. 8; ME kene, OE cēne; c. G kühn, OHG chuoni bold, ON kœnn 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.
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.
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
1805–15; < Ir caoine (n.), caoin- (v., s. of caoinim) lament
Related forms:
keener, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To keen
| keen 1 (kēn) adj. keen·er, keen·est
[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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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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.Keen
Keen\, v. t. To sharpen; to make cold. [R.] Cold winter keens the brightening flood. --Thomson.Keen
Keen\, n. [Ir. caoine.] A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. Coranach. [Ireland] --Froude.Keen
Keen\, v. i. To wail as a keener does. [Ireland]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : keen
Spanish:
entusiasta,
German:
eifrig, scharf,
Japanese:
熱心な
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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