shrewdly

2 definitions found

shrewdly - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Shrewd \Shrewd\, a. [Compar. Shrewder; superl. Shrewdest.]
     [Originally the p. p. of shrew, v.t.]
     1. Inclining to shrew; disposing to curse or scold; hence,
        vicious; malicious; evil; wicked; mischievous; vexatious;
        rough; unfair; shrewish. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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              [Egypt] hath many shrewd havens, because of the
              great rocks that ben strong and dangerous to pass
              by.                                   --Sir J.
                                                    Mandeville.
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              Every of this happy number
              That have endured shrewd days and nights with us.
                                                    --Shak.
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     2. Artful; wily; cunning; arch.
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              These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues.
                                                    --Shak.
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     3. Able or clever in practical affairs; sharp in business;
        astute; sharp-witted; sagacious; keen; as, a shrewd
        observer; a shrewd design; a shrewd reply.
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              Professing to despise the ill opinion of mankind
              creates a shrewd suspicion that we have deserved it.
                                                    --Secker.
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     Syn: Keen; critical; subtle; artful; astute; sagacious;
          discerning; acute; penetrating.
  
     Usage: Shrewd, Sagacious. One who is shrewd is keen to
            detect errors, to penetrate disguises, to foresee and
            guard against the selfishness of others. Shrewd is a
            word of less dignity than sagacious, which implies a
            comprehensive as well as penetrating mind, whereas
            shrewd does not.
            [1913 Webster] -- Shrewd"ly, adv. -- Shrewd"ness,
            n.
            [1913 Webster]

shrewdly - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  shrewdly
      adv 1: in a shrewd manner; "he invested his fortune astutely";
             "he was acutely insightful" [syn: astutely, shrewdly,
             sagaciously, sapiently, acutely]