Search Result for "acute": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. a mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation;
[syn: acute accent, acute, ague]


ADJECTIVE (6)

1. having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course;
- Example: "acute appendicitis"
- Example: "the acute phase of the illness"
- Example: "acute patients"

2. extremely sharp or intense;
- Example: "acute pain"
- Example: "felt acute annoyance"
- Example: "intense itching and burning"
[syn: acute, intense]

3. 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]

4. of an angle; less than 90 degrees;

5. ending in a sharp point;
[syn: acuate, acute, sharp, needlelike]

6. of critical importance and consequence;
- Example: "an acute (or critical) lack of research funds"



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Acute \A*cute"\, a. [L. acutus, p. p. of acuere to sharpen, fr.
   a root ak to be sharp. Cf. Ague, Cute, Edge.]
   1. Sharp at the end; ending in a sharp point; pointed; --
      opposed to blunt or obtuse; as, an acute angle; an
      acute leaf.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Having nice discernment; perceiving or using minute
      distinctions; penetrating; clever; shrewd; -- opposed to
      dull or stupid; as, an acute observer; acute remarks,
      or reasoning.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Having nice or quick sensibility; susceptible to slight
      impressions; acting keenly on the senses; sharp; keen;
      intense; as, a man of acute eyesight, hearing, or feeling;
      acute pain or pleasure.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. High, or shrill, in respect to some other sound; --
      opposed to grave or low; as, an acute tone or accent.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. (Med.) Attended with symptoms of some degree of severity,
      and coming speedily to a crisis; -- opposed to chronic;
      as, an acute disease. AS
      [1913 Webster]

   Acute angle (Geom.), an angle less than a right angle.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: Subtile; ingenious; sharp; keen; penetrating; sagacious;
        sharp-witted; shrewd; discerning; discriminating. See
        Subtile.
        [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Acute \A*cute"\, v. t.
   To give an acute sound to; as, he acutes his rising
   inflection too much. [R.] --Walker.
   [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

acute
    adj 1: having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe
           course; "acute appendicitis"; "the acute phase of the
           illness"; "acute patients" [ant: chronic]
    2: extremely sharp or intense; "acute pain"; "felt acute
       annoyance"; "intense itching and burning" [syn: acute,
       intense]
    3: 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]
    4: of an angle; less than 90 degrees [ant: obtuse]
    5: ending in a sharp point [syn: acuate, acute, sharp,
       needlelike]
    6: of critical importance and consequence; "an acute (or
       critical) lack of research funds"
    n 1: a mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation
         [syn: acute accent, acute, ague]