Having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions. Synonyms:acute, discriminating, incisive, keen, penetrating, penetrative, piercing, sharp."Incisive comments" , "Icy knifelike reasoning" , "As sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang" , "Penetrating insight" , "Frequent penetrative observations"
3.
Painful as if caused by a sharp instrument. Synonyms:cutting, keen, lancinate, lancinating, piercing, stabbing."Keen winds" , "Knifelike cold" , "Piercing knifelike pains" , "Piercing cold" , "Piercing criticism" , "A stabbing pain" , "Lancinating pain"
... invalid's comfort; Fred, standing outside the pale of all this activity like a dreamer constructing stage directions for the puppets of his imagination. And out of the almost placid atmosphere of domestic bustle the voice of Mrs. Hilmer again breaking the stillness, this time with a cool and knifelike precision as she said, turning her pale, icy eyes ... — Broken to the Plow • Charles Caldwell Dobie
... the whole impression he made. A high forehead, very prominent in the upper and middle part, contracted below, so that there was very little breadth at the temples, but considerable expanse above. The eyes were near together and separated by the knifelike bridge of the nose, the latter descending in a fine curve of wonderfully delicate outline. The chin was pointed, and the compressed mouth showed little or nothing of the lips. On each side of his ... — Sant' Ilario • F. Marion Crawford
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