5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Keen  \Keen\  (k[=e]n),  a.  [Compar.  {Keener}  (-[~e]r);  superl. 
  {Keenest}.]  [OE.  kene  sharp,  bold,  AS  c[=e]ne  bold;  akin  to 
  D.  koen,  OHG.  kuoni  G.  k["u]hn,  OSw.  kyn,  k["o]n,  Icel. 
  k[ae]nn,  for  k[oe]nn  wise;  perh.  akin  to  E.  ken,  can  to  be 
  able.  [root]45.  ] 
  1.  Sharp;  having  a  fine  edge  or  point;  as  a  keen  razor,  or  a 
  razor  with  a  keen  edge. 
 
  A  bow  he  bare  and  arwes  [arrows]  bright  and  kene. 
  --Chaucer. 
 
  That  my  keen  knife  see  not  the  wound  it  makes 
  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Acute  of  mind;  sharp;  penetrating;  having  or  expressing 
  mental  acuteness;  as  a  man  of  keen  understanding;  a  keen 
  look  keen  features. 
 
  To  make  our  wits  more  keen.  --Shak. 
 
  Before  the  keen  inquiry  of  her  thought.  --Cowper. 
 
  3.  Bitter;  piercing;  acrimonious;  cutting;  stinging;  severe; 
  as  keen  satire  or  sarcasm. 
 
  Good  father  cardinal,  cry  thou  amen  To  my  keen 
  curses.  --Shak. 
 
  4.  Piercing;  penetrating;  cutting;  sharp;  --  applied  to  cold, 
  wind,  etc,;  as  a  keen  wind;  the  cold  is  very  keen. 
 
  Breasts  the  keen  air,  and  carols  as  he  goes. 
  --Goldsmith. 
 
  5.  Eager;  vehement;  fierce;  as  a  keen  appetite.  ``Of  full 
  kene  will.''  --Piers  Plowman. 
 
  So  keen  and  greedy  to  confound  a  man.  --Shak. 
 
  Note:  Keen  is  often  used  in  the  composition  of  words  most  of 
  which  are  of  obvious  signification;  as  keen-edged, 
  keen-eyed,  keen-sighted,  keen-witted,  etc 
 
  Syn:  Prompt;  eager;  ardent;  sharp;  acute;  cutting; 
  penetrating;  biting;  severe;  sarcastic;  satirical; 
  piercing;  shrewd. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Keen  \Keen\,  v.  t. 
  To  sharpen;  to  make  cold.  [R.] 
 
  Cold  winter  keens  the  brightening  flood.  --Thomson. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Keen  \Keen\,  n.  [Ir.  caoine.] 
  A  prolonged  wail  for  a  deceased  person.  Cf  {Coranach}. 
  [Ireland]  --Froude. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Keen  \Keen\,  v.  i. 
  To  wail  as  a  keener  does  [Ireland] 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  keen 
  adj  1:  having  or  demonstrating  ability  to  recognize  or  draw  fine 
  distinctions;  "an  acute  observer  of  politics  and 
  politicians";  "incisive  comments";  "icy  knifelike 
  reasoning";  "as  sharp  and  incisive  as  the  stroke  of  a 
  fang";  "penetrating  insight";  "frequent  penetrative 
  observations"  [syn:  {acute},  {discriminating},  {incisive}, 
  {knifelike},  {penetrating},  {penetrative},  {piercing}, 
  {sharp}] 
  2:  intense  or  sharp;  "suffered  exquisite  pain";  "felt  exquisite 
  pleasure"  [syn:  {exquisite}] 
  3:  very  penetrating  and  clear  and  sharp  in  operation;  "an 
  incisive  mind";  "a  keen  intelligence";  "of  sharp  and 
  active  intellect"  [syn:  {incisive},  {sharp}] 
  4:  (informal)  very  good;  "a  bully  pulpit";  "a  cool  sports  car"; 
  "had  a  great  time  at  the  party";  "you  look  simply 
  smashing"  [syn:  {bang-up},  {bully},  {cool},  {corking},  {cracking}, 
  {dandy},  {great},  {groovy},  {neat},  {nifty},  {not  bad(p)}, 
  {peachy},  {slap-up},  {swell},  {smashing}] 
  5:  as  physically  painful  as  if  caused  by  a  sharp  instrument;  "a 
  cutting  wind";  "keen  winds";  "knifelike  cold";  "piercing 
  knifelike  pains";  "piercing  cold";  "piercing  criticism"; 
  "a  stabbing  pain";  "a  gray  world  with  ice  and  toothed 
  winds"  [syn:  {cutting},  {knifelike},  {piercing},  {stabbing}] 
  6:  having  a  sharp  cutting  edge  or  point;  "a  keen  blade" 
  n  :  (Irish)  a  funeral  lament  sung  with  loud  wailing 
  v  :  express  grief  verbally  [syn:  {lament}] 

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