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Keen vs Fond - What's the difference?

keen | fond |

In obsolete terms the difference between keen and fond

is that keen is brave, courageous; bold, audacious while fond is to caress; to fondle.

As adjectives the difference between keen and fond

is that keen is showing a quick and ardent willingness or responsiveness, enthusiastic, eager; interested, intense while fond is having a liking or affection (for).

As verbs the difference between keen and fond

is that keen is to sharpen; to make cold while fond is to have a foolish affection for, to be fond of.

As nouns the difference between keen and fond

is that keen is a prolonged wail for a deceased person while fond is the background design in lace-making.

keen

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) . More at (l), (l).

Alternative forms

* keene, kene (archaic)

Adjective

(er)
  • showing a quick and ardent willingness or responsiveness, enthusiastic, eager; interested, intense.
  • vehement; fierce; as, a keen appetite.
  • * (rfdate),
    • Of full keen will.
  • * (rfdate), Shakespeare
    • So keen and greedy to confound a man.
  • sharp; having a fine edge or point.
  • * (rfdate) :
    • That my keen knife see not the wound it makes.
  • acute of mind; sharp; penetrating; having or expressing mental acuteness.
  • * (rfdate),
    • To make our wits more keen .
  • * (rfdate),
    • Before the keen inquiry of her thought.
  • bitter; piercing; acrimonious; cutting; stinging; severe; as, keen satire or sarcasm.
  • * (rfdate)
    • Good father cardinal, cry thou amen to my keen curses.
  • piercing; penetrating; cutting; sharp; -- applied to cold, wind, etc,; as, a keen wind; the cold is very keen.
  • * (rfdate),
    • Breasts the keen air, and carols as he goes.
  • Enthusiastic
    • I'm keen to learn another language.
    I'm keen on learning another language.
    I'm keen on languages.
    I'm keen about learning languages.
    I'm keen for help.
    ''"Do you want to learn another language?" / "I'm keen ."
  • (US, informal, dated) Marvelous.
    • I just got this peachy keen new dress.
  • (UK) extremely low as to be competitive.
    • keen prices
  • (obsolete) brave, courageous; bold, audacious.
    • Usage notes
    * 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.
    Synonyms
    * prompt; eager; ardent; sharp; acute; cutting; penetrating; biting; severe; sarcastic; satirical; piercing; shrewd. * See also
    Derived terms
    * keen-witted * keen as mustard * keen on * keenly * keenness

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (rare) To sharpen; to make cold.
  • * (rfdate), Thomson.
    • Cold winter keens the brightening flood.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A prolonged wail for a deceased person.
  • * '>citation

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To utter a keen.
  • * (rfdate) Stuart Howard-Jones (1904-1974), Hibernia.'' Collected in ''The New Oxford Book of English Light Verse, 1978.
    • Keen —meaning 'brisk'? Nay, here the Language warps:
    'Tis singing bawdy Ballads to a Corpse.
  • To utter with a loud wailing voice or wordless cry.
  • *
  • To mourn.
  • *
    • Related terms
    * keener * keeness

    Anagrams

    * ----

    fond

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (chiefly, with of) Having a liking or affection (for).
  • * Shakespeare
    • more fond on her than she upon her love
  • * Irving
    • a great traveller, and fond of telling his adventures
  • .
    • a fond farewell
    a fond mother or wife
  • .
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
    • , title= , chapter=1 citation , passage=“The story of this adoption is, of course, the pivot round which all the circumstances of the mysterious tragedy revolved. Mrs. Yule had an only son, namely, William, to whom she was passionately attached ; but, like many a fond mother, she had the desire of mapping out that son's future entirely according to her own ideas. […]”}}
    I have fond grandparents who spoil me.
  • ; foolish; silly.
    • Your fond dreams of flying to Jupiter have been quashed by the facts of reality.
  • (obsolete) Foolish; simple; weak.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Grant I may never prove so fond / To trust man on his oath or bond.
  • (obsolete) Doted on; regarded with affection.
  • * Byron
    • Nor fix on fond abodes to circumscribe thy prayer.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * fondly * fondness * overfond

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The background design in lace-making.
  • (cooking) brown residue in pans from cooking meats and vegetables.
    • He used the fond to make a classic French pan sauce.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To have a foolish affection for, to be fond of.
  • (obsolete) To caress; to fondle.
  • * Dryden
    • The Tyrian hugs and fonds thee on her breast.