different between shrewd vs gnostic

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

Adjective

gnostic

1. Alternative letter-case form of Gnostic
2. (archaic, slang) knowing; wise; shrewd

Noun

gnostic (plural gnostics)

1. Alternative letter-case form of Gnostic

Translations

Anagrams

• cognits, contigs, costing, scoting

Romanian

Etymology

From French gnostique, from Ancient Greek ????????? (gn?stikós, “relating to knowledge”), from ??????? (gn?stós, “known”), from ???????? (gign?sk?, “I know”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??nos.tik/

Adjective

gnostic m or n (feminine singular gnostic?, masculine plural gnostici, feminine and neuter plural gnostice)

1. Gnostic; of or pertaining to Gnosticism

Declension

Noun

gnostic m (plural gnostici, feminine equivalent gnostic?)

1. a Gnostic; an adherent of Gnosticism

Declension

See also

• gnosticism