adj.
- having or showing sharp powers of judgement; astute.
- archaic (of weather) piercingly cold.
▸(of a blow) severe.
▸mischievous; malicious.
Derivative
- shrewdly adv.
- shrewdness n.
Etymology
ME (in the sense ‘evil in nature or character’): from shrew in the sense ‘evil person or thing’, or as the past part. of obs. shrew ‘to curse’.
