acute Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation
ague; acute accent.
adjective having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
- acute appendicitis
- the acute phase of the illness
- acute patients
adjective satellite extremely sharp or intense
intense.
- acute pain
- felt acute annoyance
- intense itching and burning
adjective satellite having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
penetrating; incisive; penetrative; piercing; discriminating; keen; sharp; knifelike.
- an acute observer of politics and politicians
- incisive comments
- icy knifelike reasoning
- as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang
- penetrating insight
- frequent penetrative observations
adjective of an angle; less than 90 degrees
adjective satellite ending in a sharp point
sharp; acuate; needlelike.
adjective satellite of critical importance and consequence
- an acute (or critical) lack of research funds

L. acutus, p. p. of acuere to sharpen, fr. a root ak to be sharp. Cf. Ague, Cute, Edge.

Sharp at the end; ending in a sharp point; pointed; -- opposed to blunt or obtuse; as, an acute angle; an acute leaf.
Having nice discernment; perceiving or using minute distinctions; penetrating; clever; shrewd; -- opposed to dull or stupid; as, an acute observer; acute remarks, or reasoning.
Having nice or quick sensibility; susceptible to slight impressions; acting keenly on the senses; sharp; keen; intense; as, a man of acute eyesight, hearing, or feeling; acute pain or pleasure.
High, or shrill, in respect to some other sound; -- opposed to grave or low; as, an acute tone or accent.
(Med.) Attended with symptoms of some degree of severity, and coming speedily to a crisis; -- opposed to chronic; as, an acute disease. Syn. -- Subtile; ingenious; sharp; keen; penetrating; sagacious; sharp-witted; shrewd; discerning; discriminating. See Subtile.

To give an acute sound to; as, he acutes his rising inflection too much. R. Walker.