About The Word Keen
![Bay Area Crosswords Bay Area Crosswords](/images/bayareacrosswords.jpg)
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 Meaning & Definition Keen Meaning & Definition](/images/wordmeaningdefinition.jpg)
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] |
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
- Ammonium hydroxide ‐ a water solution…
- Wild lupine ‐ stout perennial of eastern and central North America having palmate…
- Shirodkar's operation ‐ a surgical procedure in which a suture is used to close the cervix…
- Boston tea party ‐ (American history) demonstration (1773) by citizens of Boston…
- Tip-top table ‐ a pedestal table whose top is hinged so that it can be tilted…
- Assertion ‐ a declaration that is made emphatically (as if no supporting…
- Vena cephalica ‐ a large vein of the arm that empties into the…
- Black letter ‐ a heavy typeface in use from 15th to 18th…
- Tacit ‐ indicated by necessary connotation though not expressed directly;…
- Show business ‐ those involved in providing entertainment: radio and television…