Penetrative

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Penetrative \Pen"e*tra*tive\, a. [Cf. F. p['e]n['e]tratif.]
     1. Tending to penetrate; of a penetrating quality; piercing;
        as, the penetrative sun.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              His look became keen and penetrative. --Hawthorne.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Having the power to affect or impress the mind or heart;
        impressive; as, penetrative shame. --Shak.
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     3. Acute; discerning; sagacious; as, penetrative wisdom. "The
        penetrative eye." --Wordsworth.
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              Led on by skill of penetrative soul.  --Grainger.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  penetrative
       adj 1: having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine
              distinctions; "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" [syn: {acute}, {discriminating}, {incisive},
               {keen}, {knifelike}, {penetrating}, {piercing}, {sharp}]
       2: tending to penetrate; having the power of entering or
          piercing; "a toxic penetrative spray applied to the
          surface"; "a cold penetrating wind"; "a penetrating odor"
          [syn: {penetrating}]