əsˈtjuːt kəˈnaɪvɪŋ ʃɑːp ʃɑɹp ʃɹuːd marked by practical hardheaded intelligence a smart businessman an astute tenant always reads the small print in a lease he was too shrewd to go along with them on a road that could lead only to their overthrow acting with a specific goal the most calculating and selfish men in the community