keen en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- kēn (General-American)
- /kiːn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Australia) audio
- (General-American) audio
- /kin/ (General-American)
Etymology
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.
Meanings
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(Commonwealth) Often with a prepositional phrase, or with to and an infinitive: showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness; eager, enthusiastic, interested.
She’s keen to learn another language.
I’m keen on you.
Ophe[lia] You are keene my Lord, you are keene. / Ham[let] It would coſt you a groaning, to take off my edge.
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 268, column 2:“Do you want to go on holiday with me?” “Yes, I’m keen.”
In fact, she doesn't mention the fact that I've obviously been avoiding her, just sounds genuinely thrilled to hear from me, and as soon as I mention getting together she suggests Monday, which is rather keen, even for Portia.
2000, Jane Green, Bookends, London: Penguin Books, →ISBN:I’m keen on computers.
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Fierce, intense, vehement.
[N]euer did I know / A creature that did beare the ſhape of man / So keene and greedy to confound a man.
c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 176, column 1:Her love of a good dinner herself, and her still keener love of the approbation she won by setting it before others, kept up perpetual warfare with her savingness […]
1885, Helen Hunt Jackson, Zeph: A Posthumous Story:This boy has a keen appetite.
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Having a fine edge or point; sharp.
Come thick Night, / And pall thee in the dunneſt ſmoake of Hell, / That my keene Knife ſee not the Wound it makes, / Nor Heauen peepe through the Blanket of the darke, / To cry, hold, hold.
c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene v], page 134, column 2:The tongues of mocking wenches are as keen As is the Razors edge, inuisible: […]
c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 139, column 1:
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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.
1609, William Shakespeare, “A Louers Complaint”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:So, when remote futurity is brought / Before the keen inquiry of her thought, / A terrible sagacity informs / The poet's heart; […]
1781 (date written), William Cowper, “Table Talk”, in Poems, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1782, →OCLC, page 26:These books will fill, and well fill, certain stretches of life […] But in old or nervous or solemnest or dying hours, when one needs the impalpably soothing and vitalizing influences of abysmic Nature, or its affinities in literature or human society, and the soul resents the keenest mere intellection, they will not be sought for.
1892, Walt Whitman, “Notes Left Over: Emerson's Books”, in Complete Prose Works:
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Acrimonious, bitter, piercing.
O lawfull let it be / That I have roome with Rome to curſe a while, / Good Father Cardinall, cry thou Amen / To my keene curſes; for without my wrong / There is no tongue hath power to curſe him right.
c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 9, column 2:keen satire or sarcasm
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(of cold, qualifier:wind, usually) Cutting, penetrating, piercing, sharp.
the cold is very keen
Keen was the frost and crisp the snow over our world; and we young fry of the King households were all agog to enjoy life—for was it not Saturday, and were we not left all alone to keep house?
1913, Lucy Maud Montgomery, The Golden Road, L.C. Page & Co.:a keen wind
Chearful at morn he wakes from ſhort repoſe, / Breaſts the keen air, and carolls as he goes; […]
1764 December 19 (indicated as 1765), Oliver Goldsmith, The Traveller, or A Prospect of Society. A Poem. […], London: […] J[ohn] Newbery, […], →OCLC, page 10:
- (UK) Of prices, extremely low as to be competitive.
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(US, dated, informal) Marvelous.
I just got this peachy keen new dress.
Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful / Oh, Bennie, she's really keen / She's got electric boots, a mohair suit / You know I read it in a magazine, oh / B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets
1974 February 4, “Bennie and the Jets”, in Elton John (lyrics), Bernie Taupin (music), Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, performed by Elton John, Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson, track 3:Well our hosts here attacked us with a fantastic Dismodulating Anti Phase stun ray and then invited us to this amazingly keen meal by way of making it up to us.
1985, Douglas Adams, The Original Hitchhiker Radio Scripts, New York, N.Y.: Harmony Books, →ISBN, page 82:
- (obsolete) Brave, courageous; audacious, bold.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| keene | alternative | lexicographic | |
| keenest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| kene | alternative | lexicographic | |
| keener | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most keen | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more keen | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
keen as knives · keenly · peachy keen · keen as mustard · keeno · treat 'em mean to keep 'em keen · unkeen · keen as a bean · keen on · keen as a Jew · young and keen · keen-witted · peachy keen jelly bean · keenness · overkeen
Synonyms
talented · genius · quick on the uptake · biting · penetrating · shrewd · quick · rational · sharp · sagacious · quick-witted · scholared · brainy · cutting · hivey · whip-smart · savvy · hot on · acute · educated · keen · prompt · smart · bright · clever · piercing · sharp · astute · wise · ingenious · knowledgeable · piquant · brilliant · eager · ardent · gifted · intelligent · intellectual
Translations (115)
et terav (sharp-edged) · uk проникливий (acute of mind) · de scharf (sharp-edged) · es cortante (of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating) · ang cēne (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · ota كسكین (sharp-edged) · es voraz (fierce, intense, vehement) · es ardoroso (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · it preparato (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · tr şiddetli (fierce, intense, vehement) · oc entosiasta (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · cmn 樂意 /乐意 (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · es fijo (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · fi tarkka (acute of mind) · eo akra (of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating) · ru ре́зкий (fierce, intense, vehement) · mi pūkatokato (of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating) · fi pistävä (acrimonious, bitter, piercing) · tr istekli (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · es entusiasmado (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · bg енергичен (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · it propenso (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · tr düşkün (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · it desideroso (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · mk расположен (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · ru интенси́вный (fierce, intense, vehement) · es motivado (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · it pronto (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · fi hurja (fierce, intense, vehement) · ky кескин (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · fi pureva (of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating) · de scharf (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · ru острый (sharp-edged) · ru си́льный (fierce, intense, vehement) · sco shairp (sharp-edged) · gl entusiasta (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · de bitter (acrimonious, bitter, piercing) · tr hevesli (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · es aguzado (acute of mind) · ota ایتی (acrimonious, bitter, piercing) · ca entusiasta (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · es vehemente (fierce, intense, vehement) · ru сообрази́тельный (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · bg пронизващ (of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating) · hi उत्सुक (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · ota ایتی (sharp-edged) · de scharfsinnig (acute of mind) · fi innokas (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · ang cēne (fierce, intense, vehement) · et usin (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · am ንቁ (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · de vehement (fierce, intense, vehement) · ka ბასრი (fierce, intense, vehement) · de scharfzüngig (acrimonious, bitter, piercing) · de leidenschaftlich (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · nl snijdend (of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating) · et äge (fierce, intense, vehement) · sco sherp (sharp-edged) · de heftig (fierce, intense, vehement) · mk остроумен (acute of mind) · it veemente (fierce, intense, vehement) · fi kärkäs (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · ru прони́зывающий (of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating) · it intenzionato (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · nb ivrig (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · eo akra (fierce, intense, vehement) · fi terävä (sharp-edged) · it voglioso (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · fi hanakka (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · it incline (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · de spitz (acrimonious, bitter, piercing) · et agar (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · es agudo (acute of mind) · uk гострий (sharp-edged) · bg интензивен (fierce, intense, vehement) · oc estrambordat (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · cmn 熱衷於 /热衷于 (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · af skerp (sharp-edged) · eo intensa (fierce, intense, vehement) · tr öfkeli (fierce, intense, vehement) · fi raju (fierce, intense, vehement) · de ungestüm (fierce, intense, vehement) · mk остар (sharp-edged) · uk пронизливий (of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating) · et innukas (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · is áhugasamur (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · es interesado (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · gd èasgaidh (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · tr coşkulu (fierce, intense, vehement) · cmn 渴望 (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · ky катуу (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · ky курч (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · bg ревностен (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · ka მახვილი (fierce, intense, vehement) · de gallig (acrimonious, bitter, piercing) · de kühn) (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · nl scherp (sharp-edged) · ka ინტენსიური (fierce, intense, vehement) · da ivrig (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · nn ivrig (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · mi kōtaratara (of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating) · de verwegen (temerarious) (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · tr ateşli (fierce, intense, vehement) · ka ცხოველი (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · ru ре́зкий (of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating) · bg силен (fierce, intense, vehement) · ru проница́тельный (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · de schneidend (of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating) · da heftig (fierce, intense, vehement) · oc afogat (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · es entusiasta (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · ka ძლიერი (fierce, intense, vehement) · it entusiasta (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness) · de beißend (acrimonious, bitter, piercing) · it disposto (showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness)