shrewdnessn.
/ˈʃruːdnɪs/ a. Wickedness, depravity; evil disposition, ill nature; malignity; maliciousness. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > [noun]
woughc888
naughteOE
manOE
evilness1000
fakenOE
witherfulnessc1200
lithera1225
villainy?c1225
lithernessa1240
unwrastshipa1250
felonyc1290
shrewheadc1290
litherhead1297
illa1300
wicknessa1300
follyc1300
iniquity13..
shrewdom13..
wickhedec1305
shrewdheadc1315
shrewdnessc1315
unwrastnessc1315
wickednessa1340
malicea1382
unequityc1384
lewdnessa1387
mischiefa1387
wickedleka1400
wickedredea1400
badnessc1400
shrewdshipc1400
shrewnessc1425
ungoodlihead1430
wickdomc1440
rudenessc1451
mauvasty1474
unkindliness1488
noughtinessa1500
perversenessa1500
illnessc1500
filthiness?1504
noisomeness1506
naughtiness?1529
noughtihoodc1540
inexcellence1590
improbity1593
flagition1598
meschancy1609
scelerateness1613
pravity1620
meschantnessa1630
flagitiousness1692
flagitiosity1727
nefariousness1727
bale-fire1855
ill-conditionedness1866
iniquitousness1870
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [noun]
woughc888
manOE
evilness1000
evilc1040
un-i-thora1200
witherfulnessc1200
mixshipc1225
quedeship?c1225
lithernessa1240
unwrastshipa1250
felonyc1290
shrewheadc1290
litherhead1297
wickedheada1300
wicknessa1300
follyc1300
shrewdom13..
wickhedec1305
shrewdheadc1315
shrewdnessc1315
unwrastnessc1315
wickc1330
wickednessa1340
quedehead1340
quedeness1340
lewdnessa1387
felona1400
wickedleka1400
wickedredea1400
badnessc1400
shrewdshipc1400
shrewnessc1425
wickdomc1440
noughtinessa1500
naughtiness?1529
sinfulness1530
noughtihoodc1540
meschancy1609
scelerateness1613
meschantnessa1630
nefariousness1727
devilness1853
c1315 Shoreham vii. 376 He [sc. Lucifer] hys heaued of schrewednesse, As god hys cheaf of alle godnesse.
c1384 G. Chaucer Hous of Fame 1853 As gret a fame han shrewes..for shrewdenesse, As good folke han for godenesse.
1422 J. Yonge tr. Secreta Secret. xl. 199 He passet in shrewetnesse and malice al the Paganesse and mysbelewynge men.
c1450 Godstow Reg. 646 That hys graunt shold not by ony shrewdnes be destroyde, he confirmyd hyt with hys seele.
1484 W. Caxton tr. Subtyl Historyes & Fables Esope vi The shrewdness and malyce of the dogge.
?1529 R. Hyrde tr. J. L. Vives Instr. Christen Woman ii. iv. sig. b.ijv If thy husbande were yll, yet oughtest thou to suffre hym, nor stryue with hym, by shrewdnes.
1533 T. More Apol. xxxvi, in Wks. 902/2 I purpose to purchace suche a proteccion for them, that I wyl leaue my selfe lesse then the fourth part, euen of shrewdnes rather then euer I wyl pay them.
1534 Prymer in Eng. sig. N.vv Theym that swarue from the ryght waye vnto shrewdnes.
ΚΠ
c1374 G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (1868) iv. pr. iv. 124 Þat þei (shrewes) ben constreyned by þre vnselynesses þat wolen and mowen and performen felonyes and shrewednesses.
c1386 G. Chaucer Parson's Tale 442 In hire houses been iniquitees and shrewednesses.
a1533 Ld. Berners tr. A. de Guevara Golden Bk. M. Aurelius (1546) sig. D The shrewdenes and cruelties, that Domician did to the virgins Vestales.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > lack of subjection > unruliness > [noun] > of children
wantonness1533
shrewdness1567
naughtiness1581
1567–9 Harding in Jewel Def. Apol. (1611) 344 They..be subiect to all shrewdnesse of the boies of the streets, who vse commonly to mocke and reuile them.
1612 J. Brinsley Ludus Lit. ii. 9 If they bee apt much before fiue yeeres of age, to learne shrewdnesse.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > order Primates > suborder Anthropoidea (higher primates) > [noun] > group Catarrhinae (Old World monkey) > member of superfamily Hominoidea (apes and humans) > family Pongidae (ape) > group of
shrewdnessa1452
apery1863
a1452 Termys of venery, &c. (Egerton MS. 1995) in J. Hodgkin Proper Terms (1909) 52 A Schrewdenys of Apys.
1486 Bk. St. Albans f vi b A Shrewdenes of Apis.
2. Sagacity or keenness of mental perception or discrimination; astuteness in practical affairs.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > sharpness, shrewdness, insight > [noun]
sharpnessc897
yepshipc1000
insightc1175
yepleȝȝcc1175
yephedea1250
wit1297
fellnessa1382
policyc1440
discerningc1450
policec1450
inspectiona1527
perceivance1534
aptitude1548
sagacity1548
acuity?1549
nimbleness1561
acumen1579
seeing eye1579
esprit1591
acuteness1601
depth1605
penetration1605
knowingness1611
shrewdnessa1616
piercingnessa1628
discernment1646
sharpwittedness1647
nasuteness1660
arguteness1662
sagaciousness1678
perceptivity1700
keenness1707
cuteness1768
intuition1780
recollectedness1796
long-headedness1818
perceptiveness1823
kokum1848
incision1862
incisiveness1865
penetrativeness1873
flair1881
hard-boiledness1912
smart1964
spikiness1977
sus1979
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > wisdom, sagacity > worldly wisdom > [noun]
shrewdnessa1616
common sense1658
savoir vivre1745
savoir faire1788
savoir1823
conventional wisdom1838
sophistication1850
canniness1878
hep1914
hipness1937
move1966
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [noun] > astuteness
yepshipc1000
yepleȝȝcc1175
yephedea1250
slyness1357
far-castingc1400
policyc1440
far-castc1540
fineness1546
astucec1550
shrewdnessa1616
arguteness1662
cuteness1768
smartness1800
astucity1837
astuteness1843
Yorkshiredom1849
flyness1888
shrewd1977
sus1979
a1616 W. Shakespeare Antony & Cleopatra (1623) ii. ii. 73 Her Garboiles..Made out of her impatience: which not wanted Shrodenesse of policie to. View more context for this quotation
1676 J. Ray Corr. (1848) 126 Shrewdness in inventing and discovering, is a particular gift of God.
1770 J. Langhorne & W. Langhorne tr. Agis in Plutarch Lives ⁋10 With his shrewdness and capacity he had a proper mixture of spirit.
1816 W. Scott Black Dwarf iv, in Tales of my Landlord 1st Ser. I. 89 Some..requested advice upon other matters, which he delivered with an oracular shrewdness.
1864 Ld. Tennyson Enoch Arden in Enoch Arden, etc. 14 Not being bred To barter, nor compensating the want By shrewdness.
1878 W. E. Gladstone Homer 120 Natural shrewdness was the guide of the people in the business of exchanges.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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