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shrewd - 4 dictionary results

shrewd

  [shrood]
Use shrewd in a Sentence
–adjective, -er, -est.
1. astute or sharp in practical matters: a shrewd politician.
2. keen; piercing.
3. artful.
4. Archaic. malicious.
5. Obsolete. bad.
6. Obsolete. shrewish.
Origin:
1275–1325; ME shrewed, in part repr. shrew 1 + -ed 3 (cf. dogged, wicked ); in part prob. ptp. of shrewen to curse, v. use of shrew 1 (see -ed 2 )

Related forms:
shrewdly, adverb
shrewdness, noun

Synonyms:
1. quick, discerning, perceptive, perspicacious, sagacious, keen; discriminating, intelligent. See acute.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To shrewd
shrewd   (shrōōd)   
adj.   shrewd·er, shrewd·est
  1. Characterized by keen awareness, sharp intelligence, and often a sense of the practical.
  2. Disposed to artful and cunning practices; tricky.
  3. Sharp; penetrating: a shrewd wind.

[Middle English shrewed, wicked, from shrew, rascal; see shrew.]
shrewd'ly adv.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean having or showing keen awareness, sound judgment, and often resourcefulness, especially in practical matters. Shrewd suggests a sharp intelligence, hardheadness, and often an intuitive grasp of practical considerations: "He was too shrewd to go along with them upon a road which could lead only to their overthrow" (J.A. Froude).
Sagacious connotes prudence, discernment, and farsightedness: "He was observant and thoughtful, and given to asking sagacious questions" (John Galt).
Astute suggests shrewdness, especially with regard to one's own interests: An astute tenant always reads the small print in a lease.
Perspicacious implies penetration and clear-sightedness: She is much too perspicacious to be taken in by such a spurious argument. See Also Synonyms at clever.
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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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.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : shrewd
Spanish: perspicaz, astuto,
German: schlau,
Japanese: 抜け目のない
More Translations »

shrewd 
c.1300, "wicked, evil," from shrewe "wicked man" (see shrew). Cf. crabbed from crab, dogged from dog, wicked from witch. The sense of "cunning" is first recorded 1520.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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