Keen

[keen] /kin/

adjective, keener, keenest.
1.
finely sharpened, as an edge; so shaped as to cut or pierce substances readily:
a keen razor.
2.
sharp, piercing, or biting:
a keen wind; keen satire.
3.
characterized by strength and distinctness of perception; extremely sensitive or responsive:
keen eyes; keen ears.
4.
having or showing great mental penetration or acumen:
keen reasoning; a keen mind.
5.
animated by or showing strong feeling or desire:
keen competition.
6.
intense, as feeling or desire:
keen ambition; keen jealousy.
7.
eager; interested; enthusiastic (often followed by about, on, etc., or an infinitive):
She is really keen on going swimming.
8.
Slang. great; wonderful; marvelous.
[keen] /kin/
noun
1.
a wailing lament for the dead.
verb (used without object)
2.
to wail in lamentation for the dead.
verb (used with object)
3.
to mourn for by or with such keening or wailing:
keening his mother while kneeling at her grave.
/kiːn/
adjective
1.
eager or enthusiastic
2.
(postpositive) foll by on. fond (of); devoted (to): keen on a girl, keen on golf
3.
intellectually acute: a keen wit
4.
(of sight, smell, hearing, etc) capable of recognizing fine distinctions
5.
having a sharp cutting edge or point
6.
extremely cold and penetrating: a keen wind
7.
intense or strong: a keen desire
8.
(mainly Brit) extremely low so as to be competitive: keen prices
9.
(slang, mainly US & Canadian) very good
/kiːn/
verb (intransitive)
1.
to lament the dead
noun
2.
a dirge or lament for the dead
adj.

c.1200, from Old English cene “bold brave,” later “clever, wise,” from Proto-Germanic *kan- “be able to” (see can). Original prehistoric senses seem to have been both “brave” and “skilled;” cognate with Old Norse kænn “skillful, wise,” Middle Dutch coene “bold,” Dutch koen, Old High German kuon “pugnacious, strong,” German kühn “bold, daring.” Sense of “eager” is from mid-14c. The meaning “sharp” is peculiar to English: of blades and edges early 13c., of sounds c.1400, of eyesight c.1720. A popular word of approval in teenager and student slang from c.1900.
v.

“lament,” 1811, from Irish caoinim “I weep, wail, lament,” from Old Irish coinim “I wail.” Related: Keened; keening. As a noun from 1830.

adjective

Excellent; wonderful; neat: I think she’s a keen kid/ ”Keen?” Blanche said. ”I haven’t heard that word in 20 years” (1900+ Teenagers & students)

Related Terms

peachy