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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Shrewd \Shrewd\, adjective [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}, adverb -- {Shrewd"ness}, n.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
shrewdly
adverb: in a shrewd manner; "he invested his fortune astutely" [syn: {astutely}, {sagaciously}, {sapiently}]
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |