n. [ Ir. caoine. ] A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. Coranach. [ Ireland ] Froude. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. i. To wail as a keener does. [ Ireland ] [ 1913 Webster ]
a.
A bow he bare and arwes [ arrows ] bright and kene. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
To make our wits more keen. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Before the keen inquiry of her thought. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]
Good father cardinal, cry thou amen
To my keen curses. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Breasts the keen air, and carols as he goes. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]
So keen and greedy to confound a man. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
☞ Keen is often used in the composition of words, most of which are of obvious signification; as, keen-edged, keen-eyed, keen-sighted, keen-witted, etc.
v. t. To sharpen; to make cold. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
Cold winter keens the brightening flood. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. A professional mourner who wails at a funeral. [ Ireland ] [ 1913 Webster ]
adv. In a keen manner. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. The quality or state of being keen. [ 1913 Webster ]