different between shrewd vs sagaciously

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

sagacious +? -ly

Adverb

sagaciously (comparative more sagaciously, superlative most sagaciously)

1. In a sagacious manner, in a way that is clever, shrewd, observant, keen of intellect or discernment, cunning or with ability and aptitude; sagely.
   • 1748, Samuel Richardson, Clarissa, Volume 3, Letter 37, pp. 189-190,^[1]

     Who could forbear smiling, to see my charmer, like a farcical dean and chapter, choose what was before chosen for her; and sagaciously (as they go in form to prayers, that God would direct their choice) pondering upon the different proposals, as if she would make me believe, she has a mind for some other?

   • 1851, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick, Chapter 130,^[2]

     But if these suspicions were really his, he sagaciously refrained from verbally expressing them, however his actions might seem to hint them.

   • 1876, Lewis Carroll, The Hunting of the Snark, London: Macmillan, Fit 4, pp. 43-44,^[3]

     “Introduce me, now there’s a good fellow,” he said,

     “If we happen to meet it together!”

     And the Bellman, sagaciously nodding his head,

     Said “That must depend on the weather.”

   • 1926, “Flame but no Fire,” Time, 8 November, 1926,^[4]

     At present Joseph Stalin, astute, sagaciously “conservative,” has seen fit to squelch such activities.

Translations