'Keen' definitions:
Definition of 'keen'
From: WordNet
adjective
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, discriminating, incisive, keen, knifelike, penetrating, penetrative, piercing, sharp]
adjective
Intense or sharp; "suffered exquisite pain"; "felt exquisite pleasure" [syn: exquisite, keen]
adjective
Very good; "he did a bully job"; "a neat sports car"; "had a great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing" [syn: bang-up, bully, corking, cracking, dandy, great, groovy, keen, neat, nifty, not bad(p), peachy, slap-up, swell, smashing]
adjective
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, keen, knifelike, piercing, stabbing, lancinate, lancinating]
adjective
Having a sharp cutting edge or point; "a keen blade"
noun
A funeral lament sung with loud wailing
verb
Express grief verbally; "we lamented the death of the child" [syn: lament, keen]
Definition of 'Keen'
From: GCIDE
- Keen \Keen\, v. i. To wail as a keener does. [Ireland] [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Keen'
From: GCIDE
- Keen \Keen\, v. t. To sharpen; to make cold. [R.] [1913 Webster]
- Cold winter keens the brightening flood. --Thomson. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Keen'
From: GCIDE
- Keen \Keen\, n. [Ir. caoine.] A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. Coranach. [Ireland] --Froude. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Keen'
From: GCIDE
- Keen \Keen\ (k[=e]n), a. [Compar. Keener (k[=e]n"[~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. [1913 Webster]
- A bow he bare and arwes [arrows] bright and kene. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
- That my keen knife see not the wound it makes. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Acute of mind; sharp; penetrating; having or expressing mental acuteness; as, a man of keen understanding; a keen look; keen features. [1913 Webster]
- To make our wits more keen. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Before the keen inquiry of her thought. --Cowper. [1913 Webster]
- 3. Bitter; piercing; acrimonious; cutting; stinging; severe; as, keen satire or sarcasm. [1913 Webster]
- Good father cardinal, cry thou amen To my keen curses. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 4. Piercing; penetrating; cutting; sharp; -- applied to cold, wind, etc.; as, a keen wind; the cold is very keen. [1913 Webster]
- Breasts the keen air, and carols as he goes. --Goldsmith. [1913 Webster]
- 5. Eager; vehement; fierce; as, a keen appetite. "Of full kene will." --Piers Plowman. [1913 Webster]
- So keen and greedy to confound a man. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 6. Wonderful; delightful; marvelous; as, that would be keen. [slang] [PJC]
- 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. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'keen'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- ablaze,
- absorbing,
- ace-high,
- acerb,
- acerbate,
- acerbic,
- acid,
- acidic,
- acidulent,
- acidulous,
- acrid,
- acrimonious,
- active,
- acute,
- adroit,
- afire,
- aggressive,
- agile,
- agog,
- alacritous,
- alert,
- algid,
- alive,
- all agog,
- animate,
- animated,
- anxious,
- apt,
- arctic,
- ardent,
- argute,
- asperous,
- astringent,
- astute,
- athirst,
- attentive,
- Attic,
- avid,
- awake,
- bad,
- bang-up,
- bark,
- bawl,
- bellow,
- below zero,
- bemoan,
- bewail,
- biting,
- bitter,
- bitterly cold,
- blare,
- blat,
- bleak,
- blubber,
- boiling over,
- bonzer,
- boom,
- boreal,
- boss,
- brainy,
- bray,
- breathe,
- breathless,
- bright,
- brilliant,
- brisk,
- brumal,
- buggy,
- bugs,
- bully,
- burning,
- bursting to,
- but good,
- buzz,
- cackle,
- canny,
- cant,
- caterwaul,
- caustic,
- chant,
- chirp,
- clever,
- cold,
- cold as charity,
- cold as death,
- cold as ice,
- cold as marble,
- coo,
- cool,
- cordial,
- corking,
- coronach,
- corroding,
- corrosive,
- crackerjack,
- crafty,
- creak,
- creaky,
- crisp,
- crow,
- cry,
- cunning,
- cutting,
- dandy,
- dead march,
- death knell,
- death song,
- deep,
- deep-felt,
- deepgoing,
- delicious,
- delirious,
- deplore,
- desirous,
- detailed,
- devoted,
- devoted to,
- dexterous,
- dirge,
- discerning,
- discriminating,
- discriminative,
- distinct,
- distressful,
- distressing,
- divine,
- dolorous tirade,
- double-edged,
- drastic,
- drawl,
- droll,
- drunk,
- ducky,
- dynamic,
- eager,
- ear-piercing,
- earnest,
- edged,
- elegize,
- elegy,
- enamored of,
- energetic,
- enterprising,
- enthusiastic,
- epicedium,
- escharotic,
- eulogy,
- excessive,
- excited,
- exclaim,
- excruciating,
- exorbitant,
- exquisite,
- extravagant,
- extreme,
- exuberant,
- fab,
- facetious,
- featheredged,
- febrile,
- fervent,
- fervid,
- fevered,
- feverish,
- fierce,
- fiery,
- fine,
- fine and dandy,
- fired,
- flaming,
- flushed,
- flute,
- fond of,
- forceful,
- forcible,
- forward,
- freezing,
- freezing cold,
- frigid,
- full of life,
- full of pep,
- funeral march,
- funeral oration,
- funeral song,
- funny,
- furious,
- gasp,
- gay,
- gear,
- gelid,
- gifted,
- give sorrow words,
- glacial,
- glorious,
- glowing,
- go-go,
- graveside oration,
- great,
- grieve,
- grievous,
- groan,
- groovy,
- growl,
- grunt,
- gung ho,
- harsh,
- heartfelt,
- hearty,
- heated,
- heavy,
- hibernal,
- hiemal,
- hiss,
- homefelt,
- hot,
- howl,
- howling,
- humorous,
- humorsome,
- hunky-dory,
- hyperborean,
- ice-cold,
- ice-encrusted,
- icelike,
- icy,
- immoderate,
- impassioned,
- impatient,
- impetuous,
- incisive,
- inclement,
- indelible,
- intelligent,
- intemperate,
- intense,
- intoxicated,
- irritating,
- itching,
- jam-up,
- jeremiad,
- jesting,
- jocose,
- jocular,
- joking,
- joky,
- joshing,
- just dandy,
- keen-edged,
- keen-witted,
- keening,
- kinetic,
- knell,
- knifelike,
- lament,
- lamentation,
- lilt,
- lively,
- living,
- lusty,
- marvy,
- mean,
- mettlesome,
- moan,
- monody,
- mordacious,
- mordant,
- mourn,
- muffled drums,
- mumble,
- murmur,
- mutter,
- neat,
- nifty,
- nimble,
- nimble-witted,
- nipping,
- nippy,
- no dumbbell,
- nobby,
- nose-tickling,
- not born yesterday,
- numbing,
- nutty,
- OK,
- okay,
- on fire,
- on the,
- on the alert,
- on the ball,
- on the job,
- out of sight,
- outcry,
- outrageous,
- painful,
- pant,
- panting,
- passing bell,
- passionate,
- peachy,
- peachy-keen,
- penetrating,
- peppy,
- perceptive,
- percipient,
- perfervid,
- perspicacious,
- pervading,
- piercing,
- pinching,
- pipe,
- piping,
- piquant,
- plaint,
- planctus,
- poignant,
- pointed,
- profound,
- prompt,
- pungent,
- qui vive,
- quick,
- quick-thinking,
- quick-witted,
- rapier-like,
- raring to,
- raw,
- razor-edged,
- ready,
- ready and willing,
- red-hot,
- reedy,
- repine,
- requiem,
- rigorous,
- ripping,
- roar,
- robust,
- rough,
- rum,
- rumble,
- salt,
- salty,
- sarcastic,
- sardonic,
- scathing,
- scintillating,
- scorching,
- screak,
- screaky,
- scream,
- screech,
- screeching,
- screechy,
- scrumptious,
- searing,
- sensitive,
- set,
- severe,
- sharp,
- sharp-sighted,
- sharp-witted,
- sharpened,
- shrewd,
- shriek,
- shrieking,
- shrieky,
- shrill,
- Siberian,
- sibilate,
- sigh,
- sing,
- sing the blues,
- skirl,
- skreigh,
- slap-up,
- sleepless,
- sleety,
- slushy,
- smacking,
- smart,
- smashing,
- snap,
- snappy,
- snarl,
- snort,
- sob,
- solid,
- something else,
- sorrow,
- sough,
- sour,
- spanking,
- sparkling,
- specific,
- spiffing,
- spiffy,
- spirited,
- splitting,
- sprightly,
- squall,
- squawk,
- squeak,
- squeaking,
- squeaky,
- squeal,
- stabbing,
- steaming,
- steamy,
- steel-trap,
- stinging,
- stone-cold,
- strenuous,
- strident,
- stringent,
- strong,
- stunning,
- subzero,
- supercooled,
- swell,
- take-charge,
- take-over,
- talented,
- tart,
- thin,
- thirsty,
- threnode,
- threnody,
- thunder,
- tirade,
- tough,
- trenchant,
- trumpet,
- twang,
- two-edged,
- ululant,
- ululate,
- ululation,
- unblinking,
- unconscionable,
- unmistakable,
- unmistaken,
- unnodding,
- unrestrained,
- unsleeping,
- unwinking,
- vehement,
- venomous,
- vibrant,
- vigorous,
- violent,
- virulent,
- vital,
- vitriolic,
- vivacious,
- vivid,
- wail,
- wail of woe,
- wailing,
- wakeful,
- warble,
- warm,
- weep,
- weep over,
- whimper,
- whimsical,
- whine,
- whining,
- whisper,
- whistle,
- whistling,
- wide-awake,
- winterbound,
- winterlike,
- wintery,
- wintry,
- wise,
- withering,
- witty,
- wizard,
- wrawl,
- yammer,
- yap,
- yawp,
- yell,
- yelp,
- yowl,
- zealous,
- zestful,
- zesty,
- zippy