shrewd
shrewd (s̸hro̵̅o̅d)
adjective
- Obsolete
- evil, bad, wicked, mischievous, shrewish, etc.
- artful, cunning, wily, etc. in one's dealings with others
- keen-witted, clever, or sharp in practical affairs; astute: the usual current sense
- Archaic keen; piercing; sharp
Etymology: ME schrewed, pp. of schrewen, to curse < schrewe: see shrew
shrewd
modif.
Clever
astute, acute, sharp, keen, quick, perceptive, canny, knowing, sagacious, perspicacious, ingenious, sharp; see also clever 1, intelligent 1.Cunning
calculating, crafty, cagey*; see sly 1.
shrewd implies keenness of mind, sharp insight, and a cleverness in practical matters a shrewd comment, businessman, etc.; sagacious implies keen discernment and farsighted judgment a sagacious counselor; perspicacious suggests the penetrating mental vision or discernment that enables one clearly to see and understand what is obscure, hidden, etc. a perspicacious judge of character; astute implies shrewdness combined with sagacity and sometimes connotes, in addition, artfulness or cunning an astute politician See also syn. study at clever.
Preposition: as
- snake: You are to be " as shrewd as snakes " but also " as innocent as doves " .
Modifies a noun
- tactician: Bruce, also, was an inspiring leader, a brave guerilla and a shrewd tactician.
- mickey: Diamond said they and shrewd mickey he spent overseas a school or church.
- businessman: More than any of the Wade family he was not just a shrewd businessman, he was also a real character.
- signing: The spirit has lifted around Turf Moor recently tho with some shrewd loan signings and an improvement on the pitch.
- observer: A great man to have around in a crisis, he is also a shrewd observer of human nature.
- suspicion: There is even now a shrewd suspicion that ' Isa Craig ' hides a name much less obscure.
Modifying Another Word
- pretty: Anyone who has worked on a labor ward gets a pretty shrewd idea about this.
- very: Or are there some very shrewd players behind the scenes?
- too: He was too shrewd a student of his fellow- men to remain long content with rigid formulae of conduct.
- so: Their money is now my money because I was so shrewd.
- politically: It's not very authentically Spanish, or politically shrewd.
- quite: It in fact is quite shrewd in this regard.
Infinitive complement
- make: Elizabeth was much too shrewd to make a marriage which might damage her reputation, and she remained single.
Used with adjective complement
- look: Ramaker's two-stage approach looks shrewd, with his working paper laying the essential groundwork.
- seem: The old man seemed shrewd enough not to allow his money to be taken with impunity.
- become: His eyes become shrewd when I ask him this; he seems to want to say something, then hesitates.
Preposition: in
- business: You are shrewd in business and cannot be trusted.
Browse dictionary entries near shrewd
- shrew
- Shreveport
- shredder
- shredded wheat
- shred
- shrapnel
- shrank
- shr
- shpt
- shp
- shrewdie
- shrewdly
- shrewdness
- shrewish
- shrewmouse
- Shrewsbury
- shriek
- shrieking
- shrievalty
- shrieve
