Search Result for "penetrating": 
Wordnet 3.0

ADJECTIVE (2)

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. tending to penetrate; having the power of entering or piercing;
- Example: "a toxic penetrative spray applied to the surface"
- Example: "a cold penetrating wind"
- Example: "a penetrating odor"
[syn: penetrative, penetrating]



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Penetrating \Pen"e*tra`ting\, a.
   1. Having the power of entering, piercing, or pervading;
      sharp; subtile; penetrative; as, a penetrating odor.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Acute; discerning; sagacious; quick to discover; as, a
      penetrating mind.
      [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Penetrate \Pen"e*trate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Penetrated; p.
   pr. & vb. n. Penetrating.] [L. penetratus, p. p. of
   penetrare to penetrate; akin to penitus inward, inwardly, and
   perh. to pens with, in the power of, penus store of food,
   innermost part of a temple.]
   1. To enter into; to make way into the interior of; to effect
      an entrance into; to pierce; as, light penetrates
      darkness.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To affect profoundly through the senses or feelings; to
      touch with feeling; to make sensible; to move deeply; as,
      to penetrate one's heart with pity. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

            The translator of Homer should penetrate himself
            with a sense of the plainness and directness of
            Homer's style.                        --M. Arnold.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To pierce into by the mind; to arrive at the inner
      contents or meaning of, as of a mysterious or difficult
      subject; to comprehend; to understand.
      [1913 Webster]

            Things which here were too subtile for us to
            penetrate.                            --Ray.
      [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

penetrating
    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: tending to penetrate; having the power of entering or
       piercing; "a toxic penetrative spray applied to the surface";
       "a cold penetrating wind"; "a penetrating odor" [syn:
       penetrative, penetrating]