Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
acute

more about acute

acute

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Acute  \A*cute"\,  a.  [L.  acutus,  p.  p.  of  acuere  to  sharpen,  fr 
  a  root  ak  to  be  sharp.  Cf  {Ague},  {Cute},  {Edge}.] 
  1.  Sharp  at  the  end  ending  in  a  sharp  point;  pointed;  -- 
  opposed  to  {blunt}  or  {obtuse};  as  an  acute  angle;  an 
  acute  leaf. 
 
  2.  Having  nice  discernment;  perceiving  or  using  minute 
  distinctions;  penetrating;  clever;  shrewd;  --  opposed  to 
  {dull}  or  {stupid};  as  an  acute  observer;  acute  remarks, 
  or  reasoning. 
 
  3.  Having  nice  or  quick  sensibility;  susceptible  to  slight 
  impressions;  acting  keenly  on  the  senses  sharp;  keen; 
  intense;  as  a  man  of  acute  eyesight,  hearing,  or  feeling; 
  acute  pain  or  pleasure. 
 
  4.  High,  or  shrill,  in  respect  to  some  other  sound;  -- 
  opposed  to  {grave}  or  {low};  as  an  acute  tone  or  accent. 
 
  5.  (Med.)  Attended  with  symptoms  of  some  degree  of  severity, 
  and  coming  speedily  to  a  crisis;  --  opposed  to  {chronic}; 
  as  an  acute  disease. 
 
  {Acute  angle}  (Geom.),  an  angle  less  than  a  right  angle. 
 
  Syn:  Subtile;  ingenious;  sharp;  keen;  penetrating;  sagacious; 
  sharp-witted;  shrewd;  discerning;  discriminating.  See 
  {Subtile}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Acute  \A*cute"\,  v.  t. 
  To  give  an  acute  sound  to  as  he  acutes  his  rising 
  inflection  too  much  [R.]  --Walker. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  acute 
  adj  1:  (medicine)  having  or  experiencing  a  rapid  onset  and  short 
  but  severe  course;  "acute  appendicitis";  "the  acute 
  phase  of  the  illness";  "acute  patients  [ant:  {chronic}] 
  2:  extremely  sharp  or  intense;  "acute  pain";  "felt  acute 
  annoyance";  "intense  itching  and  burning"  [syn:  {intense}] 
  3:  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:  {discriminating},  {incisive},  {keen}, 
  {knifelike},  {penetrating},  {penetrative},  {piercing},  {sharp}] 
  4:  of  an  angle;  less  than  90  degrees  [ant:  {obtuse}] 
  5:  ending  in  a  sharp  point  [syn:  {acuate},  {sharp}] 
  6:  of  critical  importance  and  consequence;  "an  acute  (or 
  critical)  lack  of  research  funds" 
  n  :  a  mark  (')  placed  above  a  vowel  to  indicate  pronunciation 
  [syn:  {acute  accent},  {ague}]




more about acute