Keen Definition & Meaning | Bay Area Crosswords

About The Word Keen

Learn about the word Keen to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Keen definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.

Keen

Keen Definition And Meaning
What's The Definition Of Keen? [n] (Irish) a funeral lament sung with loud wailing [adj] having a sharp cutting edge or point; "a keen blade" [adj] as physically 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" [adj] (informal) very good; "a bully pulpit"; "a neat sports car"; "had a great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing" [adj] very penetrating and clear and sharp in operation; "an incisive mind"; "a keen intelligence"; "of sharp and active intellect" [adj] intense or sharp; "suffered exquisite pain"; "felt exquisite pleasure" [adj] 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" [v] express grief verbally Synonyms \| Synonyms for Keen: acute \| bang-up \| bully \| corking \| cracking \| cutting \| dandy \| discriminating \| exquisite \| good \| great \| groovy \| incisive \| intelligent \| intense \| knifelike \| lament \| lancinate \| lancinating \| neat \| nifty \| not bad(p) \| peachy \| penetrating \| penetrative \| perceptive \| piercing \| sharp \| slap-up \| smashing \| stabbing \| swell Related Terms \| Find terms related to Keen: 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 \| earnest \| ear-piercing \| 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 \| keening \| keen-witted \| 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 \| sharpened \| sharp-sighted \| sharp-witted \| 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 See Also \| coronach \| dirge \| express emotion \| express feelings \| grieve \| lament \| requiem \| sorrow \| threnody Keen In Webster's Dictionary \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\, v. t. To sharpen; to make cold. [R.] Cold winter keens the brightening flood. --Thomson. \Keen\, n. [Ir. caoine.] A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. {Coranach}. [Ireland] --Froude. \Keen\, v. i. To wail as a keener does. [Ireland]

Keen Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of Keen?

[n] (Irish) a funeral lament sung with loud wailing
[adj] having a sharp cutting edge or point; "a keen blade"
[adj] as physically 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"
[adj] (informal) very good; "a bully pulpit"; "a neat sports car"; "had a great time at the party"; "you look simply smashing"
[adj] very penetrating and clear and sharp in operation; "an incisive mind"; "a keen intelligence"; "of sharp and active intellect"
[adj] intense or sharp; "suffered exquisite pain"; "felt exquisite pleasure"
[adj] 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"
[v] express grief verbally

Keen In Webster's Dictionary

\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\, v. t.
To sharpen; to make cold. [R.]

      Cold winter keens the brightening flood. --Thomson.


\Keen\, n. [Ir. caoine.]
A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. {Coranach}.
[Ireland] --Froude.


\Keen\, v. i.
To wail as a keener does. [Ireland]

More Crossword Puzzle Words

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Cross Word Of The Day

Elementary school ‐ a school for young children; usually the first 6…
Press stud ‐ a fastener used…
Butterfly valve ‐ a valve in a carburetor that consists of a disc that turns and…
Cuirass ‐ medieval body armor that covers the…
Stole ‐ a wide scarf worn about their…
European perch ‐ a perch native…
Anseriformes ‐ ducks; geese; swans;…
Tepic ‐ a city in west…
Actinomycin ‐ any of various red antibiotics isolated from…
Pluckiness ‐ the trait of showing courage and determination in spite of possible…