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Profound vs Incisive - What's the difference?

profound | incisive |

As adjectives the difference between profound and incisive

is that profound is descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep while incisive is quickly proceeding to judgment and forceful in expression; decisive; forthright.

As a noun profound

is the deep; the sea; the ocean.

As a verb profound

is to cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down.

profound

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to great depth; deep.
  • * (rfdate),
  • A gulf profound
  • Very deep; very serious
  • Intellectually deep; entering far into subjects; reaching to the bottom of a matter, or of a branch of learning; thorough; as, a profound investigation or treatise; a profound scholar; profound wisdom.
  • *
  • Characterized by intensity; deeply felt; pervading; overmastering; far-reaching; strongly impressed; as, a profound sleep.
  • * (rfdate),
  • Profound sciatica
  • * (rfdate),
  • Of the profound corruption of this class there can be no doubt.
  • Bending low, exhibiting or expressing deep humility; lowly; submissive; as, a profound bow.
  • * (rfdate)
  • What humble gestures! What profound reverence!

    Noun

    (-)
  • (obsolete) The deep; the sea; the ocean.
  • God in the fathomless profound / Hath all this choice commanders drowned. Sandys .
  • (obsolete) An abyss.
  • (Milton)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down.
  • (Sir Thomas Browne)
  • (obsolete) To dive deeply; to penetrate.
  • incisive

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Quickly proceeding to judgment and forceful in expression; decisive; forthright.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)
  • , chapter=1 citation , passage=She was like a Beardsley Salome , he had said. And indeed she had the narrow eyes and the high cheekbone of that creature, and as nearly the sinuosity as is compatible with human symmetry. His wooing had been brief but incisive .}}
  • Intelligently analytical and concise.
  • Having the quality of incising, cutting, or penetrating, as with a sharp instrument; sharp; acute; sarcastic; biting.
  • * G. Eliot
  • An incisive , high voice.
  • * Mrs. Browning
  • And her incisive smile accrediting / That treason of false witness in my blush.
  • (anatomy) Of or relating to the incisors.
  • Derived terms

    * incisively * incisiveness * incisivity ----