1 a quick and penetrating intelligence; "he argued with great acuteness"; "I admired the keenness of his mind" [syn: acuity, sharpness, keenness]
2 the quality of having a sharp edge or point [ant: obtuseness]
- The quality of being acute or pointed; as, the acuteness of an angle.
- The faculty of nice discernment or perception; sensitiveness; – applied to the senses, or the understanding. By acuteness of feeling, we perceive small objects or slight impressions: by acuteness of intellect, we discern nice distinctions.
- Shrillness; high pitch; – said of sounds.
- Violence of a disease, which brings it speedily to a crisis.
- Shrewdness, quickness of mind