{ } v. t. [ F. damaschinare. See Damascene, v. ] To decorate, as iron, steel, etc., with a peculiar marking or “water” produced in the process of manufacture, or with designs produced by inlaying or incrusting with another metal, as silver or gold, or by etching, etc., to damask. [ 1913 Webster ]

Damaskeening is is partly mosaic work, partly engraving, and partly carving. Ure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A drunken, dissolute fellow. [ Ireland ] S. C. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ir. caoine. ] A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. Coranach. [ Ireland ] Froude. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To wail as a keener does. [ Ireland ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Keener superl. Keenest. ] [ OE. kene sharp, bold, AS. cēne bold; akin to D. koen, OHG. kuoni, G. kühn, OSw. kyn, kön, Icel. kænn, for kœnn wise; perh. akin to E. ken, can to be able. √45. ] 1. Sharp; having a fine edge or point; as, a keen razor, or a razor with a keen edge. [ 1913 Webster ]

A bow he bare and arwes [ arrows ] bright and kene. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

That my keen knife see not the wound it makes. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Acute of mind; sharp; penetrating; having or expressing mental acuteness; as, a man of keen understanding; a keen look; keen features. [ 1913 Webster ]

To make our wits more keen. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Before the keen inquiry of her thought. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Bitter; piercing; acrimonious; cutting; stinging; severe; as, keen satire or sarcasm. [ 1913 Webster ]

Good father cardinal, cry thou amen
To my keen curses. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Piercing; penetrating; cutting; sharp; -- applied to cold, wind, etc.; as, a keen wind; the cold is very keen. [ 1913 Webster ]

Breasts the keen air, and carols as he goes. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Eager; vehement; fierce; as, a keen appetite. “Of full kene will.” Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

So keen and greedy to confound a man. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Wonderful; delightful; marvelous; as, that would be keen. [ slang ] [ PJC ]

☞ Keen is often used in the composition of words, most of which are of obvious signification; as, keen-edged, keen-eyed, keen-sighted, keen-witted, etc.

Syn. -- Prompt; eager; ardent; sharp; acute; cutting; penetrating; biting; severe; sarcastic; satirical; piercing; shrewd. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To sharpen; to make cold. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Cold winter keens the brightening flood. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A professional mourner who wails at a funeral. [ Ireland ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a keen manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being keen. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ So called from its being originally manufactured at Nankin (Nanjing), in China. ] [ Written also nankin. ] 1. A species of cloth, of a firm texture, originally brought from China, made of a species of cotton (Gossypium religiosum) that is naturally of a brownish yellow color quite indestructible and permanent. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An imitation of this cloth by artificial coloring. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. pl. Trousers made of nankeen. Ld. Lytton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nankeen bird (Zool.), the Australian night heron (Nycticorax Caledonicus); -- called also quaker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The meadow pipit. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]