Shrewd

While I agree that the weight of context could well cast this word in a positive light, I cannot ignore references such as "Taming of the Shrew", and the vague rodent connotations, and a generally furtive, hostile atmosphere swathed about this word. In my lexicon, 'shrewd' is filed under Villainous Adjectives.

The dictionary is never wrong:

"a : marked by clever discerning awareness and hardheaded acumen (shrewd common sense) b : given to wily and artful ways or dealing (a shrewd operator)" (from Merriam-Webster Online)

note: "clever" and "artful"

Shrewd can only be positive, it is a mindset. The only instance in which being shrewd might be considered negative is where the thought involved in making a shrewd decision might lose you valuable time, or in a creative process where mulling things over to the nth degree might lead to your growing stale and ineefective.

Shrewd might be seen to be the antithesis of spontaneity and would thus be considered negative.

The word shrew does carry a negative connotation that originated in Olde and Middle English. In Middle English, the world "schrewed" meant to curse. The original definition is evil, bad, wicked, mischievous, schrewish (?). In contemporary English, schrewd implies a keenness of mind, sharp insight, and a cleverness in practical matters which in my mind molds a mental image of a cleverly cunningly conniving kind of person.

For anyone who cares to read on, here are a few synonyms that might find more use in certain circumstances~

Sagacious - implies keen discernment and farsighted judgment, as in a sagacious counselor

Perspicacious - suggests the penetrating mental vision or dscernment that enables one clearly to see and understand what is obscure, hidden, as in someone with a perspicacious judge of character

Astute - implies shrewness combined with sagacity and sometimes connotes, in addition, artfulness or cunning, as in an astupid... er i mean astute politician

I have to agree with IngisKahn on this. It all comes down to context. I think the common use has caused a negative connotation due to the feeling of inferiority it can cause. Someone cannot be shrewed without being considered better than the accepted average.

I agree that "shrewd" depends on the context, though I usually associate it as positive, particularly because it means being clever or sharp in practical matters (such as business).

The comments referring to Taming of the Shrew and the word "shrew" are incorrect, however. "Shrew" can mean either a rodent and a scolding, nagging woman. Shakespeare was referring to the latter definition when titling the play. Although the character was quite the wit and may be described as a shrewd person, the title is simply calling her a woman with an unruly personality.

By the way, "shrewd" and "shrew" may sound alike, but they are two completely different words. Associating them is a common mistake, but it means misinterpreting their definitions. Also, if "shrewed" was not a misspelling, there is no such word as "shrewed," as shrew is not a verb.

I've always found shrewd to have the connotation of weasely, the kind of conniving smart that, say, satan-worshipping corporation owners would use to get away with screwing the public out of their rightful dues.

However, it's all how you were raised, in English, which is the sad part. Nobody's really right.

I'll always us it with a predefining mood, from now on.
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