different between shrewd vs poignant
shrewd
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 16th c., gradually gaining a positive connotation by 17th c.
Pronunciation
- enPR: shro?od, IPA(key): /??u?d/
- Rhymes: -u?d
Adjective
shrewd (comparative shrewder, superlative shrewdest)
- Showing clever resourcefulness in practical matters.
- Artful, tricky or cunning.
- (informal) Streetwise, street-smart.
- Knowledgeable, intelligent, keen.
- Nigh accurate.
- Severe, intense, hard.
- Sharp, snithy, piercing.
- (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!— […]
- 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act III Scene ii:
- (obsolete) Portending, boding.
- (archaic) Noxious, scatheful, mischievous.
- (obsolete) Abusive, shrewish.
- (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.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, Act II Scene i:
Derived terms
- shrewdly
- shrewdness
Translations
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poignant
English
Etymology
From Middle English poynaunt, poynant, borrowed from Anglo-Norman puignant, poynaunt etc., present participle of poindre (“to prick”), from Latin pung? (“prick”).
Pronunciation
- (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /?p??n.j?nt/, /?p???.?nt/
- (obsolete) IPA(key): /?p??.n?nt/
- Hyphenation: poign?ant (per American Heritage and Random House); poi?gnant (per Merriam-Webster)
Adjective
poignant (comparative more poignant, superlative most poignant)
- (obsolete, of a weapon, etc.) Sharp-pointed; keen.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, VII:
- His siluer shield, now idle maisterlesse; / His poynant speare, that many made to bleed [...].
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, VII:
- Neat; eloquent; applicable; relevant.
- Evoking strong mental sensation, to the point of distress; emotionally moving.
- Synonyms: distressing, moving
- (figuratively, of a smell, taste) Piquant, pungent.
- (figuratively, of a look, word) Incisive; penetrating; piercing.
- (chiefly Britain, dated) Inducing sharp physical pain.
Related terms
- poignancy
- poignantly
Translations
References
- OED 2nd edition 1989
- Webster Third New International 1986
Anagrams
- Paignton
French
Etymology
From Old French poignant, present participle of poindre. Possibly corresponds to Latin pung?ns, pungentem.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /pwa.???/
Verb
poignant
- present participle of poindre
- present participle of poigner
Adjective
poignant (feminine singular poignante, masculine plural poignants, feminine plural poignantes)
- poignant
References
Further reading
- “poignant” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Old French
Etymology
Present participle of poindre. Possibly corresponds to Latin pung?ns, pungentem.
Verb
poignant
- present participle of poindre
Adjective
poignant m (oblique and nominative feminine singular poignant or poignante)
- pointed; pointy
Descendants
- ? English: poignant
- French: poignant
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