pellucid, prehensile, keen

Mori Arts Center

Hiroshige's color woodcut of the Satta Pass is from his "Tokaido" series on view at the Phillips Collection.

a keen sense of humor/loyalty.

 a keen sense of words

Part of what is so wonderful in Hiroshige is how he gently nudged the schematic abstraction of his fine, prehensile cartoon outlining and flat colors in the direction of naturalism, achieving with pellucid economy naturalistic effects of light and weather and specific descriptions of natural features of the landscape.

example: 1932/1/22

胡適日記全集 p.625

prehensile

• [prihénsl | -sail]

(prē-hĕn'səl, -sīl')
adj.

1. Adapted for seizing, grasping, or holding, especially by wrapping around an object: a monkey's prehensile tail.
2. Having keen intellect; insightful.
3. Greedy; grasping.

[French préhensile, from Latin prehēnsus, past participle of prehendere, to grasp.]

[形]

1 〈動物の手・尾が〉つかむのに適した, つかむことができる.

2 理解力を備えた.

pellucid
(pə-lū'sĭd)
adj.

1. Admitting the passage of light; transparent or translucent. See synonyms at clear.
2. Transparently clear in style or meaning: pellucid prose.

[Latin pellūcidus, from pellūcēre, to shine through : per-, through; see per- + lūcēre, to shine.]

pellucidity pel·lu·cid'i·ty or pel·lu'cid·ness n.
pellucidly pel·lu'cid·ly adv.

[形]((文))

1 〈ガラスなどが〉透明の；〈水・声が〉澄んだ.

2 〈意味・文体が〉明瞭(めいりょう)［明白］な, 明晰(めいせき)な.

［ラテン語pellūcēre （per-（通して）＋lūcēre（輝く）］

keen1

Pronunciation: /kiːn/

Translate keen | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish

Definition of keen

adjective

• 1chiefly British having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm:a keen gardener John was keen to help
• (keen on) interested in or attracted by (someone or something):Bob makes it obvious he’s keen on her

• 2sharp or penetrating, in particular:
• (of a sense) highly developed:I have keen eyesight
• (of mental faculties) quick to understand:her keen intellect
• (of the edge or point of a blade) sharp: the keen blade went through the weeds
• (of the air or wind) extremely cold; biting: a keen wind cut through their thick overalls
• literary (of a smell, light, or sound) penetrating; clear: ear-splitting explosive bursts, keen and sharp

• 3British (of activity or feeling) intense:there could be keen competition to provide the service
• 3(of prices) very low; competitive: we offer extremely keen rates

• 4 [predic.] North American informal, dated excellent: I would soon fly to distant stars—how keen!

Phrases

(as) keen as mustard

British informal extremely eager or enthusiastic.

Derivatives

keenly

adverb

Origin:

Old English cēne 'wise, clever', also 'brave, daring', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch koen and German kühn 'bold, brave'. Current senses date from Middle English

 [形]

1 〈人が〉熱心な；（…に）熱中して, 夢中になって((about, for ...))；((主に英))（…したく）思っている((to do))；（…ということを）熱望して((that節))；［be keen on A］〈人が〉〈A（事）を〉したがっている（▼Aは名詞・動名詞）；((主に英))〈人が〉〈A（人・事）に〉熱をあげている. ⇒EAGER[類語]

be keen about ［on］ going abroad ［＝be keen to go abroad］
外国へ行きたがっている

be mad keen on ...
((英略式))…に熱中している

I am keen that Ned should enlist ［＝for Ned to enlist, on Ned('s) enlisting］ in the navy.
ネッドの海軍入りを切望している

He is keen on Mary.
彼はメアリーに心を引かれている.

2 〈人・感覚・反応などが〉鋭敏な, （…の）敏感な((of ...))；〈知覚・洞察力などが〉明敏な；抜け目のない. ⇒SHARP[類語]

a keen wit ［sense of smell］
鋭い機知［嗅覚(きゅうかく)］

a keen observer
鋭い観察者

be keen of hearing ［＝have a keen ear］
耳が鋭い

be (as) keen as a razor
たいへん頭が切れる

be keen in one's business
商売の目先がよくきく.

3 〈競争・討論などが〉激しい, 激烈な.

4 〈声・音が〉かん高い；〈においが〉鼻につんとくる；〈言葉などが〉痛烈な, 辛らつな；((古風))〈寒さ・風などが〉肌を刺すような, 骨身にこたえる

a keen chill
厳寒

keen satire
鋭い風刺.

5 ((文))〈刃物などが〉よく切れる, 鋭利な

a keen blade
鋭い刃

a keen knife
よく切れるナイフ.

6 〈感情・欲求などが〉強烈な

keen jealousy
激しい嫉妬(しっと).

7 ((俗))〈物・人・時などが〉すてきな, すばらしい

a keen kid ［present］
すてきな子［贈り物］.

8 ((英))格別に安い.

［古英語cēne. △CAN¹, KNOW］

keen・ness

[名]