Word Meanings - KEEN - Book Publishers vocabulary database

bold, AS.c bold; akin to D. koen, OHG. kuoni, G. kühn, OSw. kyn, kön, Icel. kænn, for koenn wise; perh. akin to E. ken, can to be able. 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

Additional info about word: KEEN

bold, AS.c bold; akin to D. koen, OHG. kuoni, G. kühn, OSw. kyn, kön, Icel. kænn, for koenn wise; perh. akin to E. ken, can to be able. 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 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.

Possible synonyms: (Same meaning words of KEEN)

• Acute
• Pointed
• penetrating
• sagacious
• perspicacious
• keen
• astute
• piercing
• sharp
• shrewd
• keen-sighted
• severe
• distressing
• Ardent
• Longing
• passionate
• aspiring
• eager
• fervent
• excited
• fiery
• glowing
• zealous
• fervid
• fierce
• vehement
• hot
• affectionate
• impassioned
• burning
• heated
• Astute
• Crafty
• knowing
• discriminating
• acute
• discerning
• Fine
• Thin
• minute
• slender
• delicate
• pure
• smooth
• filmy
• gauzy
• artistic
• choice
• finished
• high
• Grand
• noble
• sensitive
• refined
• generous
• honorable
• excellent
• superior
• pretty
• beautiful
• showy
• elegant
• ostentatious
• presumptuous
• nice
• casuistical
• subtle
• Lively
• Brisk
• animated
• blithe
• alert
• vivid
• vivacious
• quick
• spirited
• vigorous
• sprightly
• active

Related words: (words related to KEEN)

• LIVELY
  1. Endowed with or manifesting life; living. Chaplets of gold and silver resembling lively flowers and leaves. Holland. 2. Brisk; vivacious; active; as, a lively youth. But wherefore comes old Manoa in such haste, With youthful steps Much livelier
• LONG-SUFFERANCE
  Forbearance to punish or resent.
• SMOOTHEN
  To make smooth.
• KNOWINGLY
  1. With knowledge; in a knowing manner; intelligently; consciously; deliberately; as, he would not knowingly offend. Strype. 2. By experience. Shak.
• SPIRITUOUS
  1. Having the quality of spirit; tenuous in substance, and having active powers or properties; ethereal; immaterial; spiritual; pure. 2. Containing, or of the nature of, alcoholic spirit; consisting of refined spirit; alcoholic; ardent;
• BLITHE
  Gay; merry; sprightly; joyous; glad; cheerful; as, a blithe spirit. The blithe sounds of festal music. Prescott. A daughter fair, So buxom, blithe, and debonair. Milton. (more info) Icel. bli mild, gentle, Dan. & Sw. blid gentle, D. blijd blithe,
• BEAUTIFUL
  Having the qualities which constitute beauty; pleasing to the sight or the mind. A circle is more beautiful than a square; a square is more beautiful than a parallelogram. Lord Kames. Syn. -- Handsome; elegant; lovely; fair; charming; graceful;
• DISCERNANCE
  Discernment.
• EXCITO-MOTION
  Motion excited by reflex nerves. See Excito-motory.
• LONGIPALP
  One of a tribe of beetles, having long maxillary palpi.
• GRANDEUR
  The state or quality of being grand; vastness; greatness; splendor; magnificence; stateliness; sublimity; dignity; elevation of thought or expression; nobility of action. Nor doth this grandeur and majestic show Of luxury . . . allure mine eye.
• SENSITIVE
  1. Having sense of feeling; possessing or exhibiting the capacity of receiving impressions from external objects; as, a sensitive soul. 2. Having quick and acute sensibility, either to the action of external objects, or to impressions upon the
• LONGSPUN
  Spun out, or extended, to great length; hence, long-winded; tedious. The longspun allegories fulsome grow, While the dull moral lies too plain below. Addison.
• CRAFTY
  1. Relating to, or characterized by, craft or skill; dexterous. "Crafty work." Piers Plowman. 2. Possessing dexterity; skilled; skillful. A noble crafty man of trees. Wyclif. 3. Skillful at deceiving others; characterized by craft; cunning; wily.
• SHARPLY
  In a sharp manner,; keenly; acutely. They are more sharply to be chastised and reformed than the rude Irish. Spenser. The soldiers were sharply assailed with wants. Hayward. You contract your eye when you would see sharply. Bacon.
• SMOOTHNESS
  Quality or state of being smooth.
• HONORABLE
  1. Worthy of honor; fit to be esteemed or regarded; estimable; illustrious. Thy name and honorable family. Shak. 2. High-minded; actuated by principles of honor, or a scrupulous regard to probity, rectitude, or reputation. 3. Proceeding from an
• ARDENT
  1. Hot or burning; causing a sensation of burning; fiery; as, ardent spirits, that is, distilled liquors; an ardent fever. 2. Having the appearance or quality of fire; fierce; glowing; shining; as, ardent eyes. Dryden. 3. Warm, applied
• BURN
  To apply a cautery to; to cauterize. (more info) birnen, v.i., AS. bærnan, bernan, v.t., birnan, v.i.; akin to OS. brinnan, OFries. barna, berna, OHG. brinnan, brennan, G. brennen, OD. bernen, D. branden, Dan. brænde, Sw. bränna, brinna, Icel.
• GLOWLAMP
  An aphlogistic lamp. See Aphlogistic.
• SELF-ACTIVE
  Acting of one's self or of itself; acting without depending on other agents.
• OVERBURN
  To burn too much; to be overzealous.
• PUBLIC-SPIRITED
  1. Having, or exercising, a disposition to advance the interest of the community or public; as, public-spirited men. 2. Dictated by a regard to public good; as, a public-spirited project or measure. Addison. -- Pub"lic-spir`it*ed*ly,
• CHYLIFACTIVE
  Producing, or converting into, chyle; having the power to form chyle.
• UNSHEATHE
  To deprive of a sheath; to draw from the sheath or scabbard, as a sword. To unsheathe the sword, to make war.
• PREKNOWLEDGE
  Prior knowledge.
• COUNTERACTIVE
  Tending to counteract.
• BUNSEN'S BATTERY; BUNSEN'S BURNER
  See BURNER
• COMPASSIONATELY
  In a compassionate manner; mercifully. Clarendon.
• SUNBURNING
  Sunburn; tan. Boyle.
• ENQUICKEN
  To quicken; to make alive. Dr. H. More.