KEEN, KEENLY, KEENNESS
ADJECTIVES
1300 — PREST ready in mind or disposition; inclined, disposed, willing; eager, keen, prompt → obs.
1400 — HETER — HETTER rough; fierce, violent, cruel; severe; keen, eager → obs.
1450 — YAP — YAUP quick, apt, eager or ready, esp. to do something, keen; desirous → obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial.
1580 — SHARP-SET very keen on or eager for
1593 — BATELESS that cannot be ‘bated’ or blunted; unalterably keen → obs.
1635 — HOT-REINED eager, keen; fiery, impetuous → obs.
1685 — YAWP quick, apt, ready; eager, keen; desirous; forward → Sc.
1739 — YAPE eager, keen, ready, active → Sc.
1789 — TENT watchful, attentive; keen; intent → Sc.
..19C — FRUNTY free in manner; spirited, implying the idea of forwardness; keen, eager; passionate → Sc.
1838 — REITHE keen, ardent → Sc. obs.
.M19 — UP FOR keen on, willing to do → sl.
1866 — LAAGER eager, keen → Sc.
1892 — VOGEROUS boastful; elated; keen → Sc.
..L19 — IN A SWEAT keen → sl.
1900 — EDGY eager, anxious, desirous, keen → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1900 — EGG ON keen, eager → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1900 — GYPE keen, ardent, eager in any operation → Sc. (Bk.)
1902 — BRICKLE eager, keen, industrious, ambitious → Amer. dial.
1904 — SAVAGE keen, eager → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1910 — GOOFY obsessed; keen on → US sl.
1911 — BRAIN-MAD determined; keenly bent on; hurried on with the greatest impetuosity → Sc. (Bk.)
1925 — MUSTARD very keen → Brit. sl.
1927 — OVERBOARD over-enthusiastic, very keen → sl., orig. US
1929 — EDYAN eager, keen → Sc.
1936 — BRIGHT-EYED AND BUSHY-TAILED keen, confident, and alert → colloq.
1955 — DEAR keen, ardent → Amer. dial.
1979 — MUSTARD KEEN very keen → Brit. sl.
1980 — JACKED OFF enthusiastic, very keen → US sl.
1993 — GLEG AS A WIMBLE mentally alert, keen → Eng. dial.
2000 — ALL ABOUT IT enthusiastic, keen → US students’ sl.
ADVERBS
..900 — NARROW closely, carefully, keenly → obs.
1377 — EAGERLY sharply, pungently, keenly; violently, harshly, severely → obs.
1590 — DEARLY deeply, keenly → obs.
1900 — LIKE TAR very keenly, very quickly → sl.
NOUNS
1581 — EDGE of persons: ardour, keenness in pursuit of an object; in weaker sense, inclination, liking → obs.
1611 — QUICKNESS sharpness, keenness; pungency or acidity of taste; sharpness of speech → obs.
1619 — ACRITY sharpness, keenness, shrewdness → obs.
1910 — ZOWIE keenness, enthusiasm, energy → sl.
NOUNS – PERSON
1988 — BEGGAR one who is over-keen or zealous → Aust. sl. (Bk.)
1990 — BULLET a keen, go-getter person → Amer. dial. (Bk.)
VERBS
1950 — BE MUSTARD ON to be very eager or keen on → colloq.
1996 — BURST A BLOOD-VESSEL to become excited; to be very keen; to become agitated → Aust. sl. (Bk.)
Lexicophilia 