a|cute´ly

a|cute «uh KYOOT», adjective, noun.

–adj.

1. acting keenly on the senses; sharp and severe: »

A toothache can cause acute pain.

SYNONYM(S): intense.

2. coming quickly to a turning point; brief and severe: »

An acute disease like pneumonia reaches a crisis within a short time.

3. threatening; critical: »

The long drought caused an acute shortage of water in the city.

SYNONYM(S): crucial.

4. Figurative. quick in perceiving and responding to impressions; keen; sharp: »

an acute observer. Dogs have an acute sense of smell.

5. Figurative. quick in discernment; having power to perceive small differences or effects; sharp-witted; shrewd: »

an acute thinker.

SYNONYM(S): clever. See syn. under sharp. (Cf. ↑sharp)

6. high in pitch; shrill: »

Some sounds are so acute that we cannot hear them.

7. having or ending in a sharp point.SYNONYM(S): pointed.

8. having the mark (´) over it: »

É is called “e acute” or “acute e.”

9. a) less than a right angle. b) having one or more acute angles.

–n.

an acute accent.

╂[< Latin acūtus, past participle of acuere sharpen]

–a|cute´ly, adverb.

–a|cute´ness, noun.