I. ˈkēn adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English kene wise, bold, brave, sharp, from Old English cēne wise, bold, brave; akin to Old High German kuoni bold, strong, Middle Dutch coene bold, brave, Old Norse kœnn wise, skillful, clever, Old English cnāwan to know — more at know
1.
a. : having a fine edge or point : sharp
a keen blade
a keen sword
b. : affecting one as if by cutting : causing great distress to the mind or sensibilities
keen sarcasm
a keen sense of guilt
c.
(1) : affecting the senses or creating physical discomfort as if by cutting : penetrating , piercing
a keen wind
keen , cold winters — Edith Hamilton
: stinging
a keen slap
: shrill
a high keen sound
(2) : sharp or pungent to the sense
a keen scent
2.
a. : characterized by intense interest, feeling, or desire : showing a quick and ardent responsiveness : eager , enthusiastic
a keen swimmer
fiery and dominant natures, eager to conquer, keen to impress — A.C.Benson
keen to go on a picnic
both of them were keen on skiing
very keen about the girl
also : giving evidence of such qualities
the features lean and keen from restless intellectual energy — J.A.Froude
b. of emotion or feeling : intense , great
a keen desire to be in the forefront of activity
the keen delight in the chase — F.W.Maitland
a keen personal interest in the boy
the keen dread of the gods — M.R.Cohen
3.
a. : acute or quick and penetrating (as in mental power)
a keen mind
keen in their bargain — H.E.Scudder
: intellectually sharp or incisive
a keen wit
keen questions
: astute
keen businessmen — Gilbert Highet
also : giving evidence of astuteness or the play of alert or carefully calculating minds
keen competition
debate was not as keen as it might have been — Winston Churchill
b. : extremely sensitive in perception or in perceiving distinctions
a keen eyesight
a keen sense of smell
c. : marked by fine and extremely precise distinctions
keen refinements of logic
4. of ice in curling : hard and clear
5. Britain , of a price : favorable to the purchaser : low
outfits for all ranks and services at very keen prices — Nautical Magazine
6. slang : wonderful , desirable — a generalized expression of approval
Synonyms: see eager , sharp
II. adverb
Etymology: Middle English kene, from kene, adjective
: keenly
businessmen keen set on practical affairs — J.W.Beach
III. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: keen (I)
: to put a sharp edge on : sharpen
the cutting edge of the knife is first keened up — J.V.A.Long
keen the razor — Christopher Morley
IV. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Irish Gaelic caoinim (I) lament, from Old Irish coīnim
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to wail or bewail with a keen
keened like a squaw bereft — Minnie H. Moody
b. : to make a sound suggesting a keen
the soft keening of the screech owls — A.W.Derleth
the night was rent by keening sirens — Time
the keening in the aerials rose to a witches' chorus — T.H.Raddall
violins keened in the shadows — Albert Hubbell
2. : to lament, mourn, or complain loudly
transitive verb
: to utter by keening
keened our sorrow — Punch
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Irish Gaelic caoine
1.
a. : a lamentation or dirge for the dead uttered in a loud wailing voice
b. : a rhythmic recounting of the life and character of a dead person or an exhortation to vengeance for his death — compare coronach
2. : a lamentation or cry of grief