KEEN


Meaning of KEEN in English

~ 1

■ adjective

1》 chiefly Brit. eager; enthusiastic.

↘( ~ on ) interested in or attracted by.

2》 (of the edge or point of a blade) sharp.

↘(of a sense or mental faculty) acute or quick.

↘(of the air or wind) cold and biting.

3》 (of activity or feeling) intense.

4》 Brit. (of prices) very low; competitive.

Derivatives

~ly adverb

~ness noun

Origin

OE cēne 'wise, clever', also 'brave, daring', of Gmc origin.

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~ 2

■ verb wail in grief for a dead person.

↘make an eerie wailing sound.

■ noun an Irish funeral song accompanied with wailing in lamentation for the dead.

Derivatives

~er noun

Origin

C19: from Ir. caoinim 'I wail'.

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.