KEEN


Meaning of KEEN in English

I. ˈkēn adjective

Etymology: Middle English kene brave, sharp, from Old English cēne brave; akin to Old High German kuoni brave

Date: 13th century

1.

a. : having a fine edge or point : sharp

b. : affecting one as if by cutting

keen sarcasm

c. : pungent to the sense

a keen scent

2.

a.

(1) : showing a quick and ardent responsiveness : enthusiastic

a keen swimmer

(2) : eager

was keen to begin

b. of emotion or feeling : intense

the keen delight in the chase — F. W. Maitland

3.

a. : intellectually alert : having or characteristic of a quick penetrating mind

a keen student

a keen awareness of the problem

also : shrewdly astute

b. : sharply contested

keen debate

c. : extremely sensitive in perception

keen eyes

4. : wonderful , excellent

Synonyms: see sharp , eager

• keen·ly adverb

• keen·ness ˈkēn-nəs noun

- keen on

II. noun

Date: 1830

: a lamentation for the dead uttered in a loud wailing voice or sometimes in a wordless cry

III. verb

Etymology: Irish caoinim I lament, weep

Date: 1845

intransitive verb

1.

a. : to lament with a keen

b. : to make a sound suggestive of a keen

2. : to lament, mourn, or complain loudly

transitive verb

: to utter by keening

• keen·er noun

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.