Part 6229

<syn>Syn. -- Prompt; eager; ardent; sharp; acute; cutting; penetrating; biting; severe; sarcastic; satirical; piercing; shrewd.</syn>

<h1>Keen</h1> <Xpage=810>

<hw>Keen</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To sharpen; to make cold.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<blockquote>Cold winter <b>keens</b> the brightening flood. <i>Thomson.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Keen</h1> <Xpage=810>

<hw>Keen</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Ir. <ets>caoine</ets>.]</ety> <def>A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. <er>Coranach</er>.</def> <mark>[Ireland]</mark>

<i>Froude.</i>

<h1>Keen</h1> <Xpage=810>

<hw>Keen</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To wail as a keener does.</def> <mark>[Ireland]</mark>

<h1>Keener</h1> <Xpage=810>

<hw>Keen"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A professional mourner who wails at a funeral.</def> <mark>[Ireland]</mark>

<h1>Keenly</h1> <Xpage=810>

<hw>Keen"ly</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>In a keen manner.</def>

<h1>Keenness</h1> <Xpage=810>

<hw>Keen"ness</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The quality or state of being keen.</def>

<h1>Keep</h1> <Xpage=810>

<hw>Keep</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Kept</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Keeping</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>k<?/pen</ets>, AS.<ets>c<?/pan</ets> to keep, regard, desire, await, take, betake; cf. AS. <ets>copenere</ets> lover, OE. <ets>copnien</ets> to desire.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To care; to desire.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>I <b>kepe</b> not of armes for to yelp [boast]. <i>Chaucer.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To hold; to restrain from departure or removal; not to let go of; to retain in one's power or possession; not to lose; to retain; to detain.</def>

<blockquote>If we lose the field, We can not <b>keep</b> the town. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>That I may know what <b>keeps</b> me here with you. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>If we would weigh and <b>keep</b> in our minds what we are considering, that would instruct us. <i>Locke.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To cause to remain in a given situation or condition; to maintain unchanged; to hold or preserve in any state or tenor.</def>

<blockquote>His loyalty he <b>kept</b>, his love, his zeal. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote><b>Keep</b> a stiff rein, and move but gently on. <i>Addison.</i></blockquote>

<note>&hand; In this sense it is often used with prepositions and adverbs, as to <i>keep away</i>, to <i>keep down</i>, to <i>keep from</i>, to <i>keep in</i>, <i>out</i>, or <i>off</i>, etc. "To <i>keep off</i> impertinence and solicitation from his superior."</note>

<i>Addison.</i>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>To have in custody; to have in some place for preservation; to take charge of.</def>