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What does the word keen mean?

Updated: 12/21/2022
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11y ago

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Keen has several meanings: the original meaning was "wise" or "brave", but came to mean "sharp", either of wit and intelligence or to describe the edge of a blade. It is also Irish for "lament" and used to described the wailing prevalent at funerals, usually as a verb i.e. "keening". Finally, in an idiomatic modern usage, it means "enthusiastic", as in "he was keen to finish the job".
There are a number of meanings for the word. Generally, it means something that is sharp or has a fine edge.

Some of the more common meanings are:

To keen is to emit a high pitched wail or lament as in keening over the loss of a loved one.
Keen can mean to favor or like something or someone as in being keen on that girl.
Keen can also refer to a clever person of high intellect.

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11y ago
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