[f. KEEN a. + -NESS.] The quality of being keen; sharpness, acuteness.
1. Sharpness of edge or point.
1530. Palsgr., 235/2. Kenesse, sharpnesse, aspreté.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, XII. 143. The God of fire … Immortal keenness on the blade bestowed.
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, II. 19. A blade … with the greatest keenness of edge.
2. Piercing severity, intensity (of heat, cold, etc.).
1605. Drayton, Eclogues, X. i. The poor herds … Shudder’d with keenness of the winter’s cold.
1694. Salmon, Bates’ Dispens. (1713), 509/1. It is good for any Disease proceeding from sharp Humours, because it … asswages them, taking away their Keenness.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xii. Exposed to the keenness of a Scottish blast in February.
a. 1848. R. W. Hamilton, Rew. & Punishm., viii. (1853), 345. What could soften the keenness of that flame?
3. Intensity of feeling or action; eagerness, incisiveness.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., IV. i. 125. No mettall can … beare halfe the keennesse Of thy sharpe enuy.
1695. J. Edwards, Perfect. Script., 424. This … makes him with an unwonted keenness and severity cry out against them.
1723. Wodrow Corr. (1843), III. 11. Free from severity and keenness, that is ready to mix in with debates of this nature.
1875. McLaren, Serm., Ser. II. ii. 199. Youth has mostly a certain keenness of relish for life.
1878. Lecky, Eng. in 18th C., II. vii. 417. Abundant evidence of the keenness of the antagonism.
4. Intellectual sharpness; acuteness; shrewdness.
1707. Wycherley, Pope’s Lett. (1735), I. 27. The Keenness of the Mind soonest wears out the Body.
1828. Carlyle, Misc. (1857), I. 211. In the Poetry of Burns, keenness of insight keeps pace with keenness of feeling.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., viii. II. 407. His meagre and wrinkled … face strongly expressed … the keenness of his parts.
1885. Manch. Exam., 4 Feb., 3/5. Severity in selection and … kcenness in criticism.
5. Acuteness of the senses or organs of sense.
1859. Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, ii. There was no keenness in the eyes; they seemed rather to be shedding love than making observations.
Mod. Their keenness of sight is remarkable.
