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Keen

//kiːn// adj, name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Adjective

1
Often with a prepositional phrase, or with to and an infinitive: showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness; eager, enthusiastic, interested. Commonwealth
"I’m keen on computers."
2
Fierce, intense, vehement.
"This boy has a keen appetite."
3
Having a fine edge or point; sharp.
"The tongues of mocking wenches are as keen As is the Razors edge, inuisible: […]"
4
Acute of mind, having or expressing mental acuteness; penetrating, sharp.
"For when we rage, aduiſe is often ſeene By blunting vs to make our wits more keene."
5
Acrimonious, bitter, piercing.
"keen satire or sarcasm"

Show 4 more definitions

6
Of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating, piercing, sharp.
"a keen wind"
7
Of prices, extremely low as to be competitive. British
8
Marvelous. US, dated, informal
"I just got this peachy keen new dress."
9
Brave, courageous; audacious, bold. obsolete

Adjective

1
having a sharp cutting edge or point wordnet
2
painful as if caused by a sharp instrument wordnet
3
excellent wordnet
4
intense or sharp wordnet
5
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions wordnet

Proper Noun

1
A surname.

Noun

1
A prolonged wail for a deceased person.
"[S]he went so swiftly that he could only follow her to the door. The large shape of the car swallowed her up; and the car twisted softly around the little drive and away to the London road. Minutes later he heard its Klaxon, just one sharp keen, like the harsh cry of a sea-bird."
2
a funeral lament sung with loud wailing wordnet

Verb

1
To make cold, to sharpen. rare, transitive
"This is the pureſt exerciſe of health, / The kind refreſher of the ſummer-heats; / Nor, when cold Winter keens the brightening flood, / Would I weak-ſhivering linger on the brink."
2
To utter a keen. intransitive
"Last night he had put down too much Potheen / (A vulgar blend of Methyl and Benzene) / That, at some Wake, he might the better keen. / (Keen—meaning 'brisk'? Nay, here the Language warps: / 'Tis singing bawdy Ballads to a Corpse.)"
3
express grief verbally wordnet
4
To utter with a loud wailing voice or wordless cry. transitive
"Pelicans fly below us with stiffly formal strokes, and gulls wheel and keen."
5
To mourn. transitive
"I keened my Gran, I keened my babies, but then my words poured out of my grief. I don't have the full heart like that for Owen, sorry as I am for his goin. Without the heavy grief on me I can maybe think of the words easier."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English kene (“bold, brave, sharp”), from Old English cēne (“keen, fierce, bold, brave, warlike, powerful; learned, clever, wise”), from Proto-Germanic *kōniz (“knowledgeable, skilful, experienced, clever, capable”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to know”). Cognate with Danish køn (“handsome, pretty”), Dutch kien (“smart, wise, able”), koen (“daring, valiant, doughty, courageous”), German kühn (“bold, daring, audacious, hardy, valiant, venturesome”), Icelandic kænn (“wise, crafty, clever, able”), Faroese kønur (“expert (in, on), experienced, skilful, able, capable”), Scots keen (“lively, brisk; avaricious”). Related to Old English cunnan (“to know how to, be able to”). More at cunning, can.

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

From Irish caoin (“to lament, keen”).

Etymology 4

From Irish caoin (“to lament, keen”).

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