Search Result for "keen": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. a funeral lament sung with loud wailing;


VERB (1)

1. express grief verbally;
- Example: "we lamented the death of the child"
[syn: lament, keen]


ADJECTIVE (5)

1. having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions;
- Example: "an acute observer of politics and politicians"
- Example: "incisive comments"
- Example: "icy knifelike reasoning"
- Example: "as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang"
- Example: "penetrating insight"
- Example: "frequent penetrative observations"
[syn: acute, discriminating, incisive, keen, knifelike, penetrating, penetrative, piercing, sharp]

2. intense or sharp;
- Example: "suffered exquisite pain"
- Example: "felt exquisite pleasure"
[syn: exquisite, keen]

3. very good;
- Example: "he did a bully job"
- Example: "a neat sports car"
- Example: "had a great time at the party"
- Example: "you look simply smashing"
[syn: bang-up, bully, corking, cracking, dandy, great, groovy, keen, neat, nifty, not bad(p), peachy, slap-up, swell, smashing]

4. painful as if caused by a sharp instrument;
- Example: "a cutting wind"
- Example: "keen winds"
- Example: "knifelike cold"
- Example: "piercing knifelike pains"
- Example: "piercing cold"
- Example: "piercing criticism"
- Example: "a stabbing pain"
- Example: "lancinating pain"
[syn: cutting, keen, knifelike, piercing, stabbing, lancinate, lancinating]

5. having a sharp cutting edge or point;
- Example: "a keen blade"



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Keen \Keen\, v. t.
   To sharpen; to make cold. [R.]
   [1913 Webster]

         Cold winter keens the brightening flood. --Thomson.
   [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Keen \Keen\, n. [Ir. caoine.]
   A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. Coranach.
   [Ireland] --Froude.
   [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Keen \Keen\, v. i.
   To wail as a keener does. [Ireland]
   [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

keen
    adj 1: 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]
    2: intense or sharp; "suffered exquisite pain"; "felt exquisite
       pleasure" [syn: exquisite, keen]
    3: 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]
    4: 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]
    5: having a sharp cutting edge or point; "a keen blade"
    n 1: a funeral lament sung with loud wailing
    v 1: express grief verbally; "we lamented the death of the
         child" [syn: lament, keen]