acute

[uh-kyoot] /əˈkyut/
adjective
1.
sharp or severe in effect; intense:
acute sorrow; an acute pain.
2.
extremely great or serious; crucial; critical:
an acute shortage of oil.
3.
(of disease) brief and severe (opposed to chronic).
4.
sharp or penetrating in intellect, insight, or perception:
an acute observer.
5.
extremely sensitive even to slight details or impressions:
acute eyesight.
6.
sharp at the end; ending in a point.
7.
Geometry.
  1. (of an angle) less than 90°.
  2. (of a triangle) containing only acute angles.
8.
consisting of, indicated by, or bearing the mark ´, placed over vowel symbols in some languages to show that the vowels or the syllables they are in are pronounced in a certain way, as in French that the quality of an e so marked is close; in Hungarian that the vowel is long; in Spanish that the marked syllable bears the word accent; in Ibo that it is pronounced with high tones; or in classical Greek, where the mark originated, that the syllable bears the word accent and is pronounced, according to the ancient grammarians, with raised pitch (opposed to grave):
the acute accent; an acute e.
noun
9.
the acute accent.
Origin
1560-70; < Latin acūtus sharpened, past participle of acuere (acū-, v. stem, akin to acus needle, ācer sharp + -tus past participle suffix)
Related forms
acutely, adverb
acuteness, noun
hyperacute, adjective
hyperacutely, adverb
hyperacuteness, noun
nonacute, adjective
nonacutely, adverb
nonacuteness, noun
overacute, adjective
overacutely, adverb
overacuteness, noun
superacute, adjective
superacutely, adverb
superacuteness, noun
Can be confused
acute, chronic.
Synonyms
3. sudden, distressing, violent. 4. keen, astute, discerning, perceptive, intelligent, perspicacious; sharp-witted, clever, smart, bright, ingenious, brilliant; knowing, wise, sage, sagacious, sapient. Acute, penetrating, shrewd imply a keenness of understanding, perception, or insight. Acute suggests particularly a clearness of perception and a realization of related meanings: an acute intellect. Penetrating adds the idea of depth of perception and a realization of implications: a wise and penetrating judgment. Shrewd adds the idea of knowing how to apply practically (or to one's own advantage) what one perceives and understands: wary and shrewd. 5. keen.
Antonyms
1, 4, 5. dull.
Examples from the web for acute
  • But more important, he was an acute businessman and a truly brilliant editor.
  • Williams had acute development of all his senses.
  • This sense is more acute than you might first think.
  • It is only one of many acute observations.
  • Their first symptoms are acute tiredness, followed by fever and delirium.
  • The first acute stage is called, naturally enough, acute mountain sickness.
  • The predicament is more acute when we turn to what great philosophers have to say about women.
  • The problem is particularly acute in crowded London.
  • The men suffer from acute, chronic fear.
  • Author and artist both possess an acute sense of the boy's emotional trajectory.
British Dictionary definitions for acute

acute

/əˈkjuːt/
adjective
1.
penetrating in perception or insight
2.
sensitive to details; keen
3.
of extreme importance; crucial
4.
sharp or severe; intense: acute pain, an acute drought
5.
having a sharp end or point
6.
(maths)
  1. (of an angle) less than 90°
  2. (of a triangle) having all its interior angles less than 90°
7.
(of a disease)
  1. arising suddenly and manifesting intense severity
  2. of relatively short duration Compare chronic (sense 2)
8.
(phonetics)
  1. (of a vowel or syllable in some languages with a pitch accent, such as ancient Greek) spoken or sung on a higher musical pitch relative to neighbouring syllables or vowels
  2. of or relating to an accent (´) placed over vowels, denoting that the vowel is pronounced with higher musical pitch (as in ancient Greek), with a certain special quality (as in French), etc Compare (for senses 8a, 8b) grave, circumflex
9.
(of a hospital, hospital bed, or ward) intended to accommodate short-term patients with acute illnesses
noun
10.
an acute accent
Derived Forms
acutely, adverb
acuteness, noun
Word Origin
C14: from Latin acūtus, past participle of acuere to sharpen, from acus needle
Word Origin and History for acute
adj.

late 14c., originally of fevers and diseases, "coming and going quickly" (opposed to a chronic), from Latin acutus "sharp, pointed," figuratively "shrill, penetrating; intelligent, cunning," past participle of acuere "sharpen" (see acuity). Meaning "sharp, irritating" is from early 15c. Meaning "intense" is from 1727. Related: Acutely; acuteness.

acute in Medicine

acute a·cute (ə-kyōōt')
adj.

  1. Pointed at the end; sharp.

  2. Of or relating to a disease or a condition with a rapid onset and a short, severe course.

  3. Of or relating to a patient afflicted with such a disease.

acute in Science
acute
  (ə-kyt')   

  1. Reacting readily to stimuli or impressions, as hearing or eyesight; sensitive.

  2. Relating to an illness that has a rapid onset and follows a short but severe course. Compare chronic.

  3. Having an acute angle.