■ adjective
1》 having or showing sharp powers of judgement; astute.
2》 archaic (of weather) piercingly cold.
↘(of a blow) severe.
↘mischievous; malicious.
Derivatives
~ly adverb
~ness noun
Origin
ME (in the sense 'evil in nature or character'): from shrew in the sense 'evil person or thing', or as the past participle of obs. shrew 'to curse'.