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Keen vs Sanguine - What's the difference?

keen | sanguine |

As adjectives the difference between keen and sanguine

is that keen is showing a quick and ardent willingness or responsiveness, enthusiastic, eager; interested, intense while sanguine is having the colour of blood; red.

As verbs the difference between keen and sanguine

is that keen is (rare) to sharpen; to make cold or keen can be to utter a keen while sanguine is to stain with blood; to impart the colour of blood to; to ensanguine.

As nouns the difference between keen and sanguine

is that keen is a prolonged wail for a deceased person while sanguine is blood colour; red.

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

    * ----

    sanguine

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having the colour of blood; red.
  • (obsolete, physiology) Having a bodily constitution characterised by a preponderance of blood over the other bodily humours, thought to be marked by irresponsible mirth; indulgent in pleasure to the exclusion of important matters.
  • * 1592 — Shakespeare, iv 2
  • What, what, ye sanguine , shallow-hearted boys!
  • * 1597 — Shakespeare, ii 4
  • I'll be no longer guilty of this sin; this sanguine coward, this
    bed-presser, this horse-back-breaker, this huge hill of flesh.
  • Characterized by abundance and active circulation of blood.
  • a sanguine bodily temperament
  • Warm; ardent.
  • a sanguine temper
  • Anticipating the best; optimistic; not despondent; confident; full of hope.
  • * 1857 , , Volume the Second, page 79 (ISBN 1857150570)
  • It was clear that Dr. Gwynne was not very sanguine as to the effects of his journey to Barchester, and not over anxious to interfere with the bishop.
    sanguine of success

    Usage notes

    Not to be confused with sanguinary.

    Synonyms

    * animated * assured * bright * bullish * buoyant * cheerful * cheery * confident * hopeful * optimistic * positive * red * spirited * upbeat

    Antonyms

    * gloomy * pessimistic * blue

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Blood colour; red.
  • Anything of a blood-red colour, as cloth.
  • (tincture) A tincture, seldom used, of a blood-red colour (not to be confused with murrey).
  • Bloodstone.
  • Red crayon. See the Note under crayon, 1.
  • Verb

    (sanguin)
  • To stain with blood; to impart the colour of blood to; to ensanguine.
  • See also

    *

    Anagrams

    * * ----