[syn: sharply, sharp, acutely]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Sharp \Sharp\, a. [Compar. Sharper; superl. Sharpest.] [OE.
sharp, scharp, scarp, AS. scearp; akin to OS. skarp, LG.
scharp, D. scherp, G. scharf, Dan. & Sw. skarp, Icel. skarpr.
Cf. Escarp, Scrape, Scorpion.]
1. Having a very thin edge or fine point; of a nature to cut
or pierce easily; not blunt or dull; keen.
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He dies upon my scimeter's sharp point. --Shak.
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2. Terminating in a point or edge; not obtuse or rounded;
somewhat pointed or edged; peaked or ridged; as, a sharp
hill; sharp features.
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3. Affecting the sense as if pointed or cutting, keen,
penetrating, acute: to the taste or smell, pungent, acid,
sour, as ammonia has a sharp taste and odor; to the
hearing, piercing, shrill, as a sharp sound or voice; to
the eye, instantaneously brilliant, dazzling, as a sharp
flash.
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4. (Mus.)
(a) High in pitch; acute; as, a sharp note or tone.
(b) Raised a semitone in pitch; as, C sharp (C[sharp]),
which is a half step, or semitone, higher than C.
(c) So high as to be out of tune, or above true pitch; as,
the tone is sharp; that instrument is sharp. Opposed
in all these senses to flat.
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5. Very trying to the feelings; piercing; keen; severe;
painful; distressing; as, sharp pain, weather; a sharp and
frosty air.
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Sharp misery had worn him to the bones. --Shak.
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The morning sharp and clear. --Cowper.
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In sharpest perils faithful proved. --Keble.
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6. Cutting in language or import; biting; sarcastic; cruel;
harsh; rigorous; severe; as, a sharp rebuke. "That sharp
look." --Tennyson.
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To that place the sharp Athenian law
Can not pursue us. --Shak.
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Be thy words severe,
Sharp as merits but the sword forbear. --Dryden.
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7. Of keen perception; quick to discern or distinguish;
having nice discrimination; acute; penetrating; sagacious;
clever; as, a sharp eye; sharp sight, hearing, or
judgment.
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Nothing makes men sharper . . . than want.
--Addison.
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Many other things belong to the material world,
wherein the sharpest philosophers have never ye?
arrived at clear and distinct ideas. --L. Watts.
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8. Eager in pursuit; keen in quest; impatient for
gratification; keen; as, a sharp appetite.
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9. Fierce; ardent; fiery; violent; impetuous. "In sharp
contest of battle." --Milton.
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A sharp assault already is begun. --Dryden.
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10. Keenly or unduly attentive to one's own interest; close
and exact in dealing; shrewd; as, a sharp dealer; a sharp
customer.
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The necessity of being so sharp and exacting.
--Swift.
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11. Composed of hard, angular grains; gritty; as, sharp sand.
--Moxon.
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12. Steep; precipitous; abrupt; as, a sharp ascent or
descent; a sharp turn or curve.
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13. (Phonetics) Uttered in a whisper, or with the breath
alone, without voice, as certain consonants, such as p,
k, t, f; surd; nonvocal; aspirated.
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Note: Sharp is often used in the formation of self-explaining
compounds; as, sharp-cornered, sharp-edged,
sharp-pointed, sharp-tasted, sharp-visaged, etc.
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Sharp practice, the getting of an advantage, or the attempt
to do so, by a tricky expedient.
To brace sharp, or To sharp up (Naut.), to turn the yards
to the most oblique position possible, that the ship may
lie well up to the wind.
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Syn: Keen; acute; piercing; penetrating; quick; sagacious;
discerning; shrewd; witty; ingenious; sour; acid; tart;
pungent; acrid; severe; poignant; biting; acrimonious;
sarcastic; cutting; bitter; painful; afflictive;
violent; harsh; fierce; ardent; fiery.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Sharp \Sharp\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sharped; p. pr. & vb. n.
Sharping.]
1. To sharpen. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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2. (Mus.) To raise above the proper pitch; to elevate the
tone of; especially, to raise a half step, or semitone,
above the natural tone.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Sharp \Sharp\, adv.
1. To a point or edge; piercingly; eagerly; sharply. --M.
Arnold.
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The head [of a spear] full sharp yground. --Chaucer.
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You bite so sharp at reasons. --Shak.
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2. Precisely; exactly; as, we shall start at ten o'clock
sharp. [Colloq.]
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Look sharp, attend; be alert. [Colloq.]
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Sharp \Sharp\, v. i.
1. To play tricks in bargaining; to act the sharper.
--L'Estrange.
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2. (Mus.) To sing above the proper pitch.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Sharp \Sharp\, n.
1. A sharp tool or weapon. [Obs.]
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If butchers had but the manners to go to sharps,
gentlemen would be contented with a rubber at cuffs.
--Collier.
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2. (Mus.)
(a) The character [[sharp]] used to indicate that the note
before which it is placed is to be raised a half step,
or semitone, in pitch.
(b) A sharp tone or note. --Shak.
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3. A portion of a stream where the water runs very rapidly.
[Prov. Eng.] --C. Kingsley.
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4. A sewing needle having a very slender point; a needle of
the most pointed of the three grades, blunts, betweens,
and sharps.
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5. pl. Same as Middlings, 1.
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6. An expert. [Slang]
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
sharp
adv 1: changing suddenly in direction and degree; "the road
twists sharply after the light"; "turn sharp left here";
"the visor was acutely peaked"; "her shoes had acutely
pointed toes" [syn: sharply, sharp, acutely]
adj 1: (of something seen or heard) clearly defined; "a sharp
photographic image"; "the sharp crack of a twig"; "the
crisp snap of dry leaves underfoot" [syn: crisp,
sharp]
2: ending in a sharp point [syn: acuate, acute, sharp,
needlelike]
3: 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, penetrative, piercing, sharp]
4: 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" [syn: astute,
sharp, shrewd]
5: harsh; "sharp criticism"; "a sharp-worded exchange"; "a tart
remark" [syn: sharp, sharp-worded, tart]
6: having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones ;
"a shrill whistle"; "a shrill gaiety" [syn: shrill,
sharp]
7: extremely steep; "an abrupt canyon"; "the precipitous rapids
of the upper river"; "the precipitous hills of Chinese
paintings"; "a sharp drop" [syn: abrupt, precipitous,
sharp]
8: keenly and painfully felt; as if caused by a sharp edge or
point; "a sharp pain"; "sharp winds" [ant: dull]
9: having or made by a thin edge or sharp point; suitable for
cutting or piercing; "a sharp knife"; "a pencil with a sharp
point" [ant: dull]
10: (of a musical note) raised in pitch by one chromatic
semitone; "C sharp" [ant: flat, natural]
11: very sudden and in great amount or degree; "a sharp drop in
the stock market"
12: quick and forceful; "a sharp blow"
n 1: a musical notation indicating one half step higher than the
note named
2: a long thin sewing needle with a sharp point
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 January 2023):
sharp
hash.