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Keen vs Smart - What's the difference?

keen | smart |

Smart is a synonym of keen.



In intransitive terms the difference between keen and smart

is that keen is to utter a keen while smart is to hurt or sting.

In transitive terms the difference between keen and smart

is that keen is to mourn while smart is to cause a smart or sting in.

As adjectives the difference between keen and smart

is that keen is showing a quick and ardent willingness or responsiveness, enthusiastic, eager; interested, intense while smart is causing sharp pain; stinging.

As verbs the difference between keen and smart

is that keen is to sharpen; to make cold while smart is to hurt or sting.

As nouns the difference between keen and smart

is that keen is a prolonged wail for a deceased person while smart is a sharp, quick, lively pain; a sting.

As an initialism SMART is

specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Tangible, a mnemonic for goal-setting.

As a proper noun Smart is

{{surname}.

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

    * ----

    smart

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) smerten, from (etyl) .

    Verb

  • To hurt or sting.
    • After being hit with a pitch, the batter exclaimed "Ouch, my arm smarts !"
  • * 1897 , (Bram Stoker), (Dracula) Chapter 21
    • He moved convulsively, and as he did so, said, "I'll be quiet, Doctor. Tell them to take off the strait waistcoat. I have had a terrible dream, and it has left me so weak that I cannot move. What's wrong with my face? It feels all swollen, and it smarts dreadfully."
  • To cause a smart or sting in.
  • * T. Adams
    • A goad that smarts the flesh.
  • To feel a pungent pain of mind; to feel sharp pain or grief; to suffer; to feel the sting of evil.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • No creature smarts so little as a fool.
  • * Bible, Proverbs xi. 15
    • He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) smart, smarte, smerte, from (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Causing sharp pain; stinging.
  • * Shakespeare
    • How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience.
  • Sharp; keen; poignant.
    • a smart pain
  • Exhibiting social ability or cleverness.
  • * 1811 , Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility , chapter 19
    • I always preferred the church, and I still do. But that was not smart' enough for my family. They recommended the army. That was a great deal too ' smart for me.
  • Exhibiting intellectual knowledge, such as that found in books.
  • (often, in combination) Equipped with intelligent behaviour.
    • smart''' bomb'', '''''smart car
    smart'''card'', '''''smart phone
  • Good-looking.
    • a smart outfit
  • Cleverly shrewd and humorous in a way that may be rude and disrespectful.
    • He became tired of his daughter's sarcasm and smart remarks''.
  • * Young
    • Who, for the poor renown of being smart / Would leave a sting within a brother's heart?
  • * Addison
    • a sentence or two, which I thought very smart
  • Sudden and intense.
  • * Clarendon
    • smart skirmishes, in which many fell
  • * 1860 July 9, Henry David Thoreau, journal entry, from Thoreau's bird-lore'', Francis H. Allen (editor), Houghton Mifflin (Boston, 1910), ''Thoreau on Birds: notes on New England birds from the Journals of Henry David Thoreau , Beacon Press, (Boston, 1993), page 239:
    • There is a smart shower at 5 P.M., and in the midst of it a hummingbird is busy about the flowers in the garden, unmindful of it, though you would think that each big drop that struck him would be a serious accident.
  • (US, Southern, dated) Intense in feeling; painful. Used usually with the adverb intensifier right .
    • He raised his voice, and it hurt her feelings right smart .
    That cast on his leg chaffs him right smart .
  • (archaic) Efficient; vigorous; brilliant.
  • * Dryden
    • The stars shine smarter .
  • (archaic) Pretentious; showy; spruce.
    • a smart gown
  • (archaic) Brisk; fresh.
    • a smart breeze
    Synonyms
    * (exhibiting social ability) bright, capable, sophisticated, witty * (exhibiting intellectual knowledge) cultivated, educated, learned, see also * (good-looking) attractive, chic, stylish, handsome * silly
    Antonyms
    * (exhibiting social ability) backward, banal, boorish, dull, inept * (exhibiting intellectual knowledge) ignorant, uncultivated, simple * (good-looking) garish, , tacky
    Derived terms
    * smart aleck * smart as a whip * smart casual * smart off

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) smerte, from . More above.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sharp, quick, lively pain; a sting.
  • Mental pain or suffering; grief; affliction.
  • * Milton
    • To stand 'twixt us and our deserved smart .
  • * Spenser
    • Counsel mitigates the greatest smart .
  • Smart-money.
  • (slang, dated) A dandy; one who is smart in dress; one who is brisk, vivacious, or clever.
    • (Fielding)

    Anagrams

    * * ----