keened

noun

1. a wailing lament for the dead.

verb (used without object)

2. to wail in lamentation for the dead.

verb (used with object)

3. to mourn for by or with such keening or wailing: keening his mother while kneeling at her grave.

adjective

1. eager or enthusiastic
2. (postpositive foll by on) fond (of); devoted (to)keen on a girl; keen on golf
3. intellectually acutea keen wit
4. (of sight, smell, hearing, etc) capable of recognizing fine distinctions
5. having a sharp cutting edge or point
6. extremely cold and penetratinga keen wind
7. intense or stronga keen desire
8. mainly British extremely low so as to be competitivekeen prices
9. slang, mainly US and Canadian very good

verb (intr)

1. to lament the dead

noun

2. a dirge or lament for the dead

adj.

c.1200, from Old English cene “bold brave,” later “clever, wise,” from Proto-Germanic *kan- “be able to” (see can). Original prehistoric senses seem to have been both “brave” and “skilled;” cognate with Old Norse kænn “skillful, wise,” Middle Dutch coene “bold,” Dutch koen, Old High German kuon “pugnacious, strong,” German kühn “bold, daring.” Sense of “eager” is from mid-14c. The meaning “sharp” is peculiar to English: of blades and edges early 13c., of sounds c.1400, of eyesight c.1720. A popular word of approval in teenager and student slang from c.1900.

v.

“lament,” 1811, from Irish caoinim “I weep, wail, lament,” from Old Irish coinim “I wail.” Related: Keened; keening. As a noun from 1830.