different between shrewd vs observant

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

Borrowed from French observant

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?b?z?v?nt/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?b?z??v?nt/
• Hyphenation: ob?ser?vant

Adjective

observant (comparative more observant, superlative most observant)

1. Alert and paying close attention; watchful.

2. Diligently attentive in observing a law, custom, duty or principle; regardful; mindful.
   • 1644, Kenelm Digby, Two Treatises

     We are told how observant Alexander was of his master Aristotle.

Antonyms

• inobservant
• nonobservant
• unobservant
• unobserving

Derived terms

• hyperobservant
• nonobservant
• unobservant

Related terms

• inobservant

Translations

Anagrams

• bevatrons, obversant

Catalan

Verb

observant

1. present participle of observar

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p.s??.v??/

Verb

observant

1. present participle of observer

Latin

Verb

observant

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

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??p.s?r????/, (neuter singular) /-????t/ (examples of pronunciation) or
• IPA^(key): /??p.s?r???nt/

Adjective

observant (indefinite singular observant, definite singular and plural observante)

1. observant
2. attentive

Derived terms

• obs

Related terms

• observere

References

• “observant” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French observant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ob.ser?vant/

Adjective

observant m or n (feminine singular observant?, masculine plural observan?i, feminine and neuter plural observante)

1. observant (obeying the custom, practice or rules of a religion)

Declension

Related terms

• observator