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shrewd |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Shrewd \Shrewd\, a. [Compar. {Shrewder}; superl. {Shrewdest}.] [Originally the p. p. of shrew, v.t.] 1. Inclining to shrew; disposing to curse or scold; hence vicious; malicious; evil; wicked; mischievous; vexatious; rough; unfair; shrewish. [Obs.] --Chaucer. [Egypt] hath many shrewd havens, because of the great rocks that ben strong and dangerous to pass by --Sir J. Mandeville. Every of this happy number That have endured shrewd days and nights with us --Shak. 2. Artful; wily; cunning; arch. These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. --Shak. 3. Able or clever in practical affairs; sharp in business; astute; sharp-witted; sagacious; keen; as a shrewd observer; a shrewd design; a shrewd reply. Professing to despise the ill opinion of mankind creates a shrewd suspicion that we have deserved it --Secker. Syn: Keen; critical; subtle; artful; astute; sagacious; discerning; acute; penetrating. Usage: {Shrewd}, {Sagacious}. One who is shrewd is keen to detect errors, to penetrate disguises, to foresee and guard against the selfishness of others Shrewd is a word of less dignity than sagacious, which implies a comprehensive as well as penetrating mind, whereas shrewd does not -- {Shrewd"ly}, adv -- {Shrewd"ness}, n. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: shrewd adj 1: marked by practical hardheaded intelligence; "a smart businessman"; "an astute tenant always reads the small print in a lease"; "he was too shrewd to go along with them on a road that could lead only to their overthrow" [syn: {astute}, {sharp}] 2: used of persons; "the most calculating and selfish men in the community" [syn: {calculating}, {calculative}, {conniving}, {scheming}]
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