Prudent vs Keen - What's the difference?
prudent | keen | Related terms |
Sagacious in adapting means to ends; circumspect in action, or in determining any line of conduct; careful, discreet, sensible; -- opposed to rash; directed by prudence or wise forethought; evincing prudence;
* {{quote-book
, year=1864
, author=Jules Verne
, title=A Journey to the Center of the Earth
, chapter=30
* Moses established a grave and prudent law . --Milton.
Practically wise, judicious, shrewd
Frugal; economical; not extravagant;
showing a quick and ardent willingness or responsiveness, enthusiastic, eager; interested, intense.
vehement; fierce; as, a keen appetite.
* (rfdate),
* (rfdate), Shakespeare
sharp; having a fine edge or point.
* (rfdate) :
acute of mind; sharp; penetrating; having or expressing mental acuteness.
* (rfdate),
* (rfdate),
bitter; piercing; acrimonious; cutting; stinging; severe; as, keen satire or sarcasm.
* (rfdate)
piercing; penetrating; cutting; sharp; -- applied to cold, wind, etc,; as, a keen wind; the cold is very keen.
* (rfdate),
Enthusiastic
(US, informal, dated) Marvelous.
(UK) extremely low as to be competitive.
(obsolete) brave, courageous; bold, audacious.
(rare) To sharpen; to make cold.
* (rfdate), Thomson.
To utter a keen.
* (rfdate) Stuart Howard-Jones (1904-1974), Hibernia.'' Collected in ''The New Oxford Book of English Light Verse, 1978.
To utter with a loud wailing voice or wordless cry.
*
To mourn.
*
Prudent is a related term of keen.
As a proper noun prudent
is .As an adjective keen is
showing a quick and ardent willingness or responsiveness, enthusiastic, eager; interested, intense.As a verb keen is
(rare) to sharpen; to make cold or keen can be to utter a keen.As a noun keen is
a prolonged wail for a deceased person.prudent
English
(Webster 1913)Adjective
(en adjective)citation, passage=He did not hesitate what to do. It would be prudent to continue on to Omaha, for it would be dangerous to return to the train, which the Indians might still be engaged in pillaging.}}
- ''His prudent career moves reliably brought him to the top
- Only prudent expenditure may provide quality within a restrictive budget
Derived terms
* prudence * prudentlySynonyms
* cautious, wary, circumspect, considerate, discreet, judicious, provident, economical, frugal, sagacious, sensible, careful, wise, reasonableAntonyms
* imprudentAnagrams
* ----keen
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) . More at (l), (l).Alternative forms
* keene, kene (archaic)Adjective
(er)- Of full keen will.
- So keen and greedy to confound a man.
- That my keen knife see not the wound it makes.
- To make our wits more keen .
- Before the keen inquiry of her thought.
- Good father cardinal, cry thou amen to my keen curses.
- Breasts the keen air, and carols as he goes.
- 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 ."
- I just got this peachy keen new dress.
- keen prices
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 alsoDerived terms
* keen-witted * keen as mustard * keen on * keenly * keennessVerb
(en verb)- Cold winter keens the brightening flood.
Etymology 2
From (etyl) .Verb
(en verb)- Keen —meaning 'brisk'? Nay, here the Language warps:
'Tis singing bawdy Ballads to a Corpse.