different between shrewd vs ardent

English

Alternative forms

• shrewde (obsolete)

Etymology

c. 1300, Middle English schrewed (“depraved; wicked”, literally “accursed”), from schrewen (“to curse; beshrew”), from schrewe, schrowe, screwe (“evil or wicked person/thing”), from Old English scr?awa (“wicked person”, literally “biter”). Equivalent to shrew +? -ed. More at shrew.

The sense of "cunning" developed in early 16^th c., gradually gaining a positive connotation by 17^th c.

Pronunciation

• enPR: shro?od, IPA^(key): /??u?d/

• Rhymes: -u?d

Adjective

shrewd (comparative shrewder, superlative shrewdest)

1. Showing clever resourcefulness in practical matters.
2. Artful, tricky or cunning.
3. (informal) Streetwise, street-smart.
4. Knowledgeable, intelligent, keen.
5. Nigh accurate.

6. Severe, intense, hard.

7. Sharp, snithy, piercing.

8. (archaic) Bad, evil, threatening.
   • 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act III Scene ii:

     Portia:

     There are some shrewd contents in yon same paper,

     That steals the colours from Bassanio's cheek:

     Some dear friend dead; else nothing in the world

     Could turn so much the constitution

     Of any constant man. What, worse and worse!— […]

9. (obsolete) Portending, boding.
10. (archaic) Noxious, scatheful, mischievous.
11. (obsolete) Abusive, shrewish.
12. (archaic) Scolding, satirical, sharp.
    • 1599, William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, Act II Scene i:

      Leonato: By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband, if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue.

Derived terms

• shrewdly
• shrewdness

Translations

English

Etymology

First attested circa 14th century as Middle English ardaunt, borrowed from Anglo-Norman ardent and Old French ardant, from Latin ardentem, accusative of ard?ns, present participle of arde? (“I burn”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???d?nt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /???d?nt/
• Hyphenation: ar?dent

Adjective

ardent (comparative more ardent, superlative most ardent)

1. Full of ardor; fervent, passionate.
   • 1956 — Arthur C. Clarke, The City and the Stars, p 43

     This ardent exploration, absorbing all his energy and interest, made him forget for the moment the mystery of his heritage and the anomaly that cut him off from all his fellows.
2. Burning; glowing; shining.

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams

• Arendt, Darent, daren't, endart, ranted, red ant

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin ard?ns.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /???dent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /?r?den/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /a??dent/

Adjective

ardent (masculine and feminine plural ardents)

1. burning, ablaze
2. ardent, passionate

Derived terms

• ardentment

Related terms

• ardor

Further reading

• “ardent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

French

Etymology

From Old French ardent, borrowed from Latin ard?ns, ard?ntem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a?.d??/

Adjective

ardent (feminine singular ardente, masculine plural ardents, feminine plural ardentes)

1. fiery, burning; ablaze; aflame
2. fervent; passionate

Derived terms

Related terms

• ardre (verb)
• ardeur

Further reading

• “ardent” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Latin

Verb

ardent

1. third-person plural present active indicative of arde?

Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ardens, ardentem.

Adjective

ardent m (oblique and nominative feminine singular ardent or ardente)

1. burning; aflame; on fire

Related terms

• ardoir, ardre
• ardur

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French ardent, Latin ardens, ardentem.

Adjective

ardent m or n (feminine singular ardent?, masculine plural arden?i, feminine and neuter plural ardente)

1. (rare, literary) ardent, fiery, passionate
2. (of ships) that which, through the action of the wind, turns its prow toward the direction from where wind is blowing

Declension

Synonyms

• (ardent, fiery, passionate): înfocat, înfl?c?rat, pasionat, aprins, avântat

Related terms

• arde
• ardoare
• arz?tor