different between stealth vs shrewd

English

Etymology

From Middle English stelthe, from Old English st?lþ, from Proto-Germanic *st?liþ?, equivalent to steal +? -th. Compare Old English stalu (“theft, stealth”), Old High German st?la (“theft”), German Diebstahl (“theft”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: st?lth, IPA^(key): /st?l?/
• Rhymes: -?l?

Noun

stealth (countable and uncountable, plural stealths)

1. (uncountable) The attribute or characteristic of acting in secrecy, or in such a way that the actions are unnoticed or difficult to detect by others.
2. (archaic, countable) An act of secrecy, especially one involving thievery.
   • 1877, George Hill, An Historical Account of the Plantation in Ulster at the Commencement of the Seventeenth Century, M'Caw, Stevenson & Orr, page 352:

     [The King] thinks it fit[...] that restitution according to this order be made to the petitioners for stealths committed upon them last winter (273).

Derived terms

Related terms

• steal

Translations

Verb

stealth (third-person singular simple present stealths, present participle stealthing, simple past and past participle stealthed)

1. (military, computing) To conceal or infiltrate through the use of stealth.
2. (slang, intransitive) To have sexual intercourse without a condom through deception (for example, removing the condom mid-act).
   • 2017, “Stealthing”: Feminists open Pandora’s box of sexual assault double standards:

     “Stealthing” is an immoral behaviour practiced by both men and women, but only punishes men.

Adjective

stealth

1. (LGBT) Of a transgender person, hiding their transgender status from society after transition.

Hypernyms

• closeted

References

Anagrams

• Haslett, haltest, lasteth, salteth, stethal

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