keen observation
1
4.3
- noun
:
observación aguda
- The detective's keen observation of the crime scene uncovered important clues.
Examples
-
A little warning to would-be cloud chasers: you need lots of patience and keen observation to capture the ideal cloud formation at the right time and location, and you will probably be spending more time checking weather forecasts!
Academic text (2006) -
One of Erick's FB commenters made a keen observation: "Because you can't hide the hurricane; it's going to be happening to people, and the press can't conceal it."
Blog text (3) -
Students and adults used simple tools and keen observation skills.
Academic text (2004) -
Emphasis is put on small details and keen observation.
Blog text (3) -
Patience and keen observation revealed Christian had written "Wii" for "we."
Academic text (2013) -
I also want to mention another one of Sedlacek's keen observations about the New Testament: he claims that it is a thoroughly economic text.
Blog text (8) -
When she was not making her office building sparkle, she was melding the print stories with her keen observation of the people around her.
Fiction book (1992) -
Keen observation is important, finding the basic visual components in what we see through our viewfinder before releasing the shutter.
Academic text (2004) -
Tocqueville's keen observations of the church's community effects in the 1830s appear valid today.
Academic text (1998) -
The bard's keen observation and sharp understanding are the fundamental reasons his plays and poems have so long endured—he had us figured out, my friends.
Blog text (3)
Synonyms
677
4.6
The skill of noticing small details and what looks good
57
3.2
Facts you learn by carefully watching what happens
53
4.0
The ability to notice and understand things quickly
38
6.6
The ability to notice and judge things clearly and wisely
8
4.1
A strong ability to notice small things and work very carefully
7
4.1
An ability to notice small details that others miss
6
8.1
Ability to see small details clearly
3
3.9
The ability to notice small details and mistakes very well
2
9.6
The ability to notice and understand things quickly and clearly
1
6.9
Skill in understanding people or situations quickly and using that to your advantage
1
6.6
Being quick to notice small details and other people's feelings
The ability to notice and understand things quickly
A quick ability to notice and understand things
The ability to understand things quickly and make good decisions
A quick clear mind that notices small details
The ability to notice small details by paying attention
Antonyms
How Perceptive
1
4.3
- Specialized
57
3.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently built from 'keen' (sharp, highly perceptive) modifying 'observation' (the act of noticing or watching). This regular adjective+noun composition follows standard compositional semantics and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the phrase meaning.
Etymology
Keen observation comes from the image of something keen (very sharp) making a careful observation; imagine an eagle's eye picking out tiny details. That's why keen observation means the ability to 'notice and understand' small or hidden things.