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Keen vs Mustard - What's the difference?

keen | mustard |

As adjectives the difference between keen and mustard

is that keen is showing a quick and ardent willingness or responsiveness, enthusiastic, eager; interested, intense while mustard is of a dark yellow colour.

As nouns the difference between keen and mustard

is that keen is a prolonged wail for a deceased person while mustard is a plant of certain species of the genus brassica'', or of related genera (especially ''sinapis alba , in the family brassicaceae, with yellow flowers, and linear seed pods.

As a verb keen

is (rare) to sharpen; to make cold or keen can be to utter a keen.

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.
  • *
  • Anagrams

    * ----

    mustard

    English

    (Brassica)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A plant of certain species of the genus Brassica'', or of related genera (especially ''Sinapis alba , in the family Brassicaceae, with yellow flowers, and linear seed pods.
  • Powder or paste made from seeds of the mustard plant, and used as a condiment or a spice.
  • When the waitress brought the food I asked her if she had any Dijon mustard .
  • The leaves of the mustard plant, used as a salad.
  • Mustard and cress sandwiches.
  • Dark yellow colour, the colour of mustard.
  • The tomalley of a crab, which resembles the condiment.
  • Adjective

  • Of a dark yellow colour.
  • Derived terms

    * black mustard * brown mustard * cut the mustard * English mustard * French mustard * garlic mustard * green mustard * Indian mustard * keen as mustard * mustard gas * mustard oil * mustard plaster * mustard powder * mustard pot * mustard seed * nitrogen mustard * treacle-mustard * wall mustard * white mustard * wild mustard * yellow mustard

    See also

    * arugula * bitter cress * brassica * charlock * cress * dame's violet * hedge garlic * jack-by-the-hedge * peppergrass * sea rocket * shepherd's purse * silique * rape (plant) * wasabi * wintercress *