shrewd 
While I spake then, a sting of shrewdest pain 
Ran shrivelling thro' me. 
Tennyim, St. Simeon Stylltes. 
The sky is harsh, and the sea shrewd and salt. 
D. G. Kossetti, Ruggiero and Angelica. 
5. Sly; cunning; artful; spiteful. 
Either I mistake your shape and making quite. 
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite 
Call'd Robin Goodlellow. Shalt., M. N. l>., ii. 1. 38. 
Is he shrewd and unjust in his dealings with others? 
South, Sermons, vi. 
6. Astute; sagacious; discriminating; discern- 
ing; smart; sharp: as, a shrewd man of the 
world. 
Patriots are grown too nhreifd to be sincere. 
Coieper, Task, v. 49J. 
Shmrd was the good St. Martin ; he was famed 
For sly expedient* and devices quaint. 
Bryant, Legend of St. Martin. 
7 Indicating shrewdness ; due to shrewdness ; 
involving or displaying sagacity or astuteness : shrew-. 
as, a shreied remark; a shrewd face. 
I know not what he said ; but I have a shrewd guess 
what he thought. 
B. Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, ill. 1. 
We desire to learn Sydney Smith's opinion on any mat- 
ter of public interest, . . . because we know it will gener- 
ally be shrewd, honest, independent. 
Whipple, Ess. and Rev., I. 140. 
A shrewd many t, a great number. 
Caul. He threw twice twelve. 
5598 
shrewishness (shro'ish-nes), . Tho character 
of being shrewish; the conduct of a shrew. 
I have no gift at all in shrewishnem, 
I am a right maid fur my cowardice. 
Shalt., M. N. D., iii. 2. 301. 
shrew-mole (shro'mol), . A North American 
insectivorous mammal of either of the genera 
Smlops and ,s'cn;)rtN. The shrew-moles are the char- 
acterlstic moles of North America, outwardly reMmbllng 
very closely the true Old World moles, but distinguished 
by technical characters of the dentition, etc. The com- 
mon shrew-mole of the United States is Sealop* iniatieiii; 
others areTownsend's, Scapanui tnflUHuK, and the hairy- 
tailed, Scapanus americanus. See cut under Sealops. 
Silvery Bhrew-mole, a variety of the common shrew- 
mole Scalnps aquaticus aryentatns, of a lustrous light 
color, common on the prairies of the western United 
.States. 
[< win - + 
shright 
ME. shrrnilti-i-: <. xlirirrei + -al-ti/.] 1. The 
office or jurisdiction of a sheriff. Arnold's 
Clirtni., p. 42. 
It was ordained by statute 28 Edw. I., c. 8, that the peo- 
ple should have election of sheriffs in every shire where 
the shrievalty is not of inheritance. 
Bias/atone, Com., I. Ix. 
Spenser . . . was recommended in a letter from Queen 
Elizabeth for the shrireatty of the county of Cork. 
Lowell, Among my Books, 2d ser., p. 152. 
2. The period during which the office of sheriff 
is held. 
For the twelve Sessions, during his Shrievalty. 
Krone, Antipodes, iii. 2. 
That 1000 fine which was imposed upon him [Sir Wal- 
ter Long] in the Star Chamber, lor absence out of his coun- 
ty in time of shrievalty. 
Court and Timer of Charles I., II. 162. 
shrew-mouse (shvo'mous), n. \t am*.*,- 
_.J The common shrew of Europe; any shrieve it (shrev) , . [Alsorirwfr; acontracted 
smnll true shrew, like a mouse. See cuts under torm of sheriff (ME. shirrerc, etc.): 
A sheriff. 
shrew-struck (shro'struk), n. Poisoned by a 
shrew ; smitten with a malady which a shrew 
was superstitiously supposed to impart by it* 
bite or even its touch. 
If a child was scalded, a tooth ached, n piece of silver ghrieve'-t, I'. 
Mayors and nhriece* may yearly nil the stage : 
A king's or poet's birth doth ask an age. 
B. Jonson, New Inn, Kpil. 
Now mayors and shrietes all hush'd and satiate lay. 
Pope, Dunciad, i. 91. 
An obsolete form of shrivel. 
A Middle English form of 
Cred. By 'r lady, n shreicd many. 
Cartu-riijM, Ordinary. 
[< ME. schruden; a var 
To' 
damsel croi 
in, and Luc; 
shricht, < and 
shriek. 
(Hares.) Shridet (shrid), f. / .. 
=Svn. 6 Artful Sly etc (see maaingi), wily, subtle.- of shred or shroud*.] To hew or lop (wood). 
6 Acute' Keen etc. (see ocwte), discerning, penetrating. Hooke to hewe wode, or schrydynge [var. hoke to hev 
politic, ingenious. with woode, or schraggynye], sirculus ivar. sarculusj. 
shrewdly (shrod'li), adr. [Early mod. E. also Prompt. Parv., p. 242. 
shroicdly, shroudly, slirntidly ; < ME. shrewdly, shriefet, An obsolete form of sheriff 1 , 
shmrdely: see shreied and -ty 2 .] In a shrewd shriek (shrek), r. [Early mod. E. also strike, 
manner, (at) Accursedly; wickedly. schryke; < IUE.(ftrtM, shryken. schriken, skril'- 
Were it not better that we went alle to dye with good en, scriken (pret. schriked, striked, skryked, 
herte in the servise of 
cowardes shrewdely oon 
was stolen, a heifer shmr-rtrmlt, a pig bewitched, a young !._<. ( R hrif t), ft. [X ME. shrift, xhryj't, sclirift, 
>st in love, Lucy [a "white witch' J was called """" .y 5 " j/' "'A t__^.__:^J _ *?i_i_J!_: 
cy found a remedy. Kingsley, Westward Ho, iv. * ryft, < AS. SC 
scrift, confession or absolution 
(= Icel. skript = Sw. skrift Dan. skrifte, con- 
fession, absolution; cf. OHG. scrift, MHG. G. 
that we'went alle to dye with good en, scriken (pret. schriked, skriked, skryked, 
of oure lorde . . . than to dye as schrykede, also shrighte, sliryghte),< Icel. skrik- 
n with-oute a.nother? shriek (found only in sense of 'titter') (cf. 
Merlm(E. E. T. S.), ii. 313. J > ahHpk i_ = Sw . .,!.;. _ T> an . gkriae. 
(6t) Mischievously; injuriously; maliciously; ill. 
What, lo, my chert, lo, yet how shreicedly 
Unto myconfessour to day he spak. 
Chaucer, Summoner's Tale, 1. 536. 
xkrxkja, shriek), = 8w. skrika = Dan. skrige, 
shriek; cf. Gael, sgreach =W. ysgrechio, shriek, 
scream. The word also appears as shrike*, 
screak, screech, q. v. As with other words de- 
This practice [artifice] hath most shrewdly pass'd upon noting sounds, it was regarded as more or less 
thee. Shak., T. N., v. i. 360. imitative, and suffered variation.] I. tntrans. 
(c) Sharply ; keenly ; severely. 
Ham. The air bites shrewdly. It is very cold. 
Har. It is a nipping and an eager air. 
Shak., Hamlet, i. 4. 1. 
I knew one shrewdly gor'd by a Bull. 
Dampier, Voyages, II. 11. 99. 
(rf) Astutely ; in a discerning or discriminating manner ; 
sagaciously. 
The aforesaid author observes very shrewdly that, hav- 
ing no certain ideas of the terms of the proposition, it is 
to him a mystery. Waterland, Works, I. 219. 
shrewdness (shrod'nes), n . [< ME. sclireicdnes, 
shrcwednesae, schreteidnesse ; < shreicd + -ness.'] 
1. The state or quality of being shrewd, (at) 
Badness; wickedness; iniquity. 
Thanne Mede for here mysdedes to that man kneled, 
And shroue hire of hire shrewednesse. 
Piert Plowman (B), Hi. 44. 
Thoughte I, as greet a fame han shrewes 
Thogh hit be naught for shrewedneste, 
As gode folk han for godenesse. 
Chaucer, House of Fame, 1. 1853. 
(6) Sagaciousness ; astuteness ; sharpness : as, a man of 
great shrewdness and penetration. 
Her impatience, which not wanted 
Shrewdness of policy too. 
Shak., A. and C., 11. 2. 69. 
Not being bred 
To barter, nor compensating the want 
By shrewdness, neither capable of lies. 
Tennyson, Enoch Arden. 
[An old 
To utter a sharp, shrill cry; cry out more or less 
convulsively, at a pitch above that of a scream, 
as in great and sudden fright, in horror, or in 
extreme pain : used sometimes, by hyperbole, 
of laughter. 
Shrinhtt Emelyn and howleth Falamon. 
Chaucer, Knight's Tale, 1. 1959. 
Therwithal they shrykedc and they houped. 
Chaucer, Nun's Priest's Tale, 1. 580. 
Downe in her lap she hid her face, and lowdly shright. 
Spenser, F. Q., III. viii. 32. 
It was the owl that shriek' d. Shak., Macbeth, ii. 2. 3. 
I shriek, start up, the same sad prospect flnd. 
Pope, Eloisa to Abelard, 1. 247. 
II. trans. To utter with a shriek or a shrill 
wild cry. 
On top whereof ay dwelt the ghastly Owle, 
Shriekinti his balefull note. 
Spenser, F. Q., I. ii. 33. 
Berkley, whose fair seat hath been famous long, 
Let thy sad echoes shriek a deadly sound. 
Drayton, Barons' Wars, v. 67. 
shriek (shrek), n. [Early mod. E. also shrike, 
< ME. shrike (= Sw. skri'k. skri = Dan. skrig); 
from the verb.] A sharp, shrill outcry : as, the 
shriek of a whistle; shrieks of laughter. See 
shriek, v. 
Whi made the childe this shrike' wilt thow slene it? 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), i 15. 
The messenger of death, the ghastly owle. 
With drery shriekes did also her bewray. 
Spenser, F. Q., I. v. SO. 
Not louder shrieks to pitying heaven are cast 
When husbands or when lapdogs breathe their last. 
Pope, R. of the L., iii. 157. 
2f. A company or group (of apes). 
hunting term.] 
When beasts went together in companies, there was 
said to be ... a shrewdness of apes. 
Strutt, Sports and Pastimes, p. 80. 
=Syn. 1. (o) See shreird. 
Shrew-footed (shro'fut'ed), o. Having feet ^SyJL Screech, etc See scream. ,,.;,.,.. 
like those of a shrew: as, the shrew-fooled urop- shneker (shre'kfer), n. [= Sw. slnlnre , 
sile, Uropsilvs soricipes. shriek + -erL] 1. One who shrieks. 
Shrewheadt [ME. schreuJiede ; < shrew 1 + Again the shrieking charmers how they rend 
-head.'] Wickedness. Early Eng. Poems (ed. The gentle air - the shriekers 
Purnivall), xxiv. 31. (Stratmann.) , 
Shrewish (snro'isb.), a. [< shreu-1 + -wftl.] 2. The bar-tailed godwit, Lrmosn lappo,ue. 
Havi.ig the qualities of a shrew; given to ex- [Local, Eng.] 
hibitions of ill temper; vixenish: applied to shrietowl jahrek oull^ n. 
women. 
My wife is shrewish when I keep not hours. 
Shak., C. of E., iii. 1. 2. 
Puppet toafather's threat, and servile to zshrewish tongue! 
Tennyson, Locksley Hall. 
shrewishly (shro'ish-li), adr. In a shrewish 
1. A screech-owl 
2. The swift, Cypselm apus. [Local, Eng.] 
shrieval (shre' val), ft. [< shrieve^ + -aZ.] Of 
O r pertaining to a sheriff. 
Chaste were his cellars, and his shrieval board 
The grossness of a city feast abhorr'd. 
manner; with scolding or rating. shrievalty (shre'val-ti), n. [Formerly also 
He speaks very shrewishly. Shot., T. N., 1. 5. 170, slirivalty, sln-evtiH,/ (also later sheriflaHy); < late 
see shrire 1 .] iTThe penitential act of confes- 
sion to a priest, especially in the case of a dy- 
ing penitent. 
No receipt openeth the heart but a true friand, to 
whom you may impart . . . whatsoever lieth upon the 
heart to oppress it, in a kind of civil shrtft or confession. 
Bacon, Friendship (ed. 1887). 
Address you to your shrift; . . . 
And be yourself; for you must die. 
Jtowe, Jane Shore, IT. 1. 
2. Absolution received after confession ; par- 
don. 
Enuye with heny herte asked after schrifte, 
And carefullich mea culpa he comsed to shewe. 
Piers Plmcman (B), v. 76. 
Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift : 
Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift. 
Shak., R. and J., ii. 3. 56. 
3. The priestly act of confessing and absolv- 
ing a penitent. 
In shrift, 1" prechynge is my diligence. 
Chaucer, Summoner's Tale, 1. 110. 
Call your executioner, and off with Barnardine's head ; 
I will give him a present shrift, and advise him for a bet- 
ter place. Shak., M. for M., iv. 2. 223. 
In shrift, (a) In confession. 
Yet I have call'd my conscience to confession. 
And every syllable that might offend 
I have had tn shrift. 
Fletcher and another, Love's Pilgrimage, L 2. 
(M) Figuratively, in strict confidence; as if in confession. 
But sweete, let this be spoke tn shrift, so was it spoke to 
me. Warner, Albion's Eng., xii. 18. (Sares.) 
Short shrift, the infliction of punishment without delay : 
implying execution shortly after condemnation, as leaving 
little time for confession and absolution, 
shrift (shrift), r. t. [= Icel. skripta = Sw. 
skrifta = Dan. skrifte, give shrift, shrive; 
from the noun.] To confess and absolve; 
shrive. [Rare.] 
I saw a gray Frier shrift a faire Gentlewoman, which I 
mention because it was the first shrifting that ever 
I 8aw . Coryat, Crudities, I. 44. 
ohritVfather (shrift'fa/THer), n. [< ME. shrtft- 
>-, schrift-fader (= Sw. Dan. skriftefader) ; 
!jr t + father.] A father confessor. 
I shrewe thise shrifte-fadres everychoon. 
Chaucer, Friar's Tale, 1. 144. 
How and where he doth that synne. 
To hys schryffader he mote that mynne. 
J. .Vyrc, Instructions for Parish Priests (E. E. T. S.), 1. 233. 
And virgin nuns in close and private cell, 
Where (but shrift fathers) never mankind treads. 
Fairfax, tr. of Tasao's Jerusalem, xL 9. 
, Q Shrigt (shrig). v. t. [Prob. a var. of shrug.] To 
' contract ; reduce, as by pruning or thinning. 
Atticus is of opinion That the shaddow of elmes is 
one of the thickest and most hurtful : . . . marie, if the 
braunches thereof, or of any tree within-lorth, be shngged 
(constricts), I thinke that the shade will doe no narme at 
all. Holland, tr. of Pliny, xvii. 12. (Richardson.) 
Those of the other hoped, if all men were shrigged of 
their goods, and left bare, they should live in safetie, grew 
at length to open proscriptions and hanging of silly mno- 
Ce /foFi<md, tr. of Ammianus Marcellinus (1609). (Nans.) 
shrightt. An obsolete preterit of shriek. 
shrightt, [< ME. shright; < shriek or shrike, 
pret. slirifilit.'] Shrieking; sobbing. 
With brokyn vois, al hors for shright, Cryseyde 
To Troylus thise like wordes seyde. 
dumcer, Troilus, Iv. 1147. 
