shrewd

Meaning

Adjective

Origin

  • c. 1300, Middle English schrewed, from schrewen, from schrewe, schrowe, screwe, from Old English scrÄ“awa. Equivalent to shrew + -ed. More at shrew.
  • The sense of "cunning" developed in early 16th c., gradually gaining a positive connotation by 17th c.

Modern English dictionary

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