adj. I. KEEN, fierce, bold, brave, warlike; acer, audax, animosus, bellicosus :-- Se wæs úþwita céne and cræftig who was a philosopher keen and profound, Bt. Met. Fox 10, 110; Met. 10, 51. Stóp út céne collenferþ he stept out bold [and] firm of mind, Andr. Kmbl. 3154; An. 1580. Eofore eom ǽghwǽr cénra than a wild boar I am everywhere bolder, Exon. 110b; Th. 423, 9; Rä. 41, 18. Cende cneow-sibbe cénra manna he begat a race of brave men, Cd. 161; Th. 200, 14; Exod. 356. Þriste mid cénum the confident with the brave, Exon. 89b; Th. 337, 8; Gn. Ex. 61: Beo. Th. 1541; B. 768. II. this word is sometimes expressed by the Rune RUNE :-- Ðonne RUNE cwacaþ then the bold shall quake, Exon. 19b; Th. 50, 8; Cri. 797: Elen. Grm. 1258. [Piers P. R. Brun. Chauc. R. Glouc. Laym. kene: Dut. koen: Ger. kühn: M. H. Ger. küene, kuon: O. H. Ger. kón, kóni, kuon, kuoni.] DER. dǽd-céne, gár-. cene