Pronunciations (6)
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/ʃɑːp/
Pronunciation notes
- British
- Received-Pronunciation
- Southern
- Standard
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/ʃɑɹp/
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
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/ʃɐːp/
Pronunciation notes
- Australia
- New-Zealand
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/ʃaɾp/
Pronunciation notes
- Scotland
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ʃɑːp
Pronunciation notes
- GB
-
ʃɑɹp
Pronunciation notes
- US
Adjective
Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut or pierce easily; not dull, obtuse, or rounded.
- Examples
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I keep my knives sharp so that they don't slip unexpectedly while carving.
Ernest made the pencil too sharp and accidentally stabbed himself with it.
More examples (5)
a face with sharp features
Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.
If a knife which is sharp is incorrectly used it will obviously be dangerous.
Fifteen children reported handling curvos, five machetes, and one a sharp knife used to cut yellow leaves off the banana plants.
Yet, review of 25 years of English language literature on the subject of sharp force injury adds remarkably little to this topic. Sharp force covers a vast array of injuries produced with sharp objects capable of cutting or stabbing or both.
Intelligent.
Usage- Colloquial
- Examples
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My nephew is a sharp lad; he can count to 100 in six languages, and he's only five years old.
At school, despite his sharp mind, Malcolm was laughed at by teachers when he said he wanted to be a lawyer.
Raised by one semitone (denoted by the symbol ⟨♯⟩ after the name of the note).
Higher in pitch than required.
- Examples
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The orchestra's third violin several times was sharp about an eighth of a tone.
Having a strong acrid or acidic taste.
- Examples
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Milly couldn't stand sharp cheeses when she was pregnant, because they made her nauseated.
This grapefruit is especially sharp.
Sudden, abrupt, intense, rapid.
- Examples
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A pregnant woman during labor normally experiences a number of sharp contractions.
The man turned and made a sharp movement towards the door.
More examples (1)
She wakened in sharp panic, bewildered by the grotesquerie of some half-remembered dream in contrast with the harshness of inclement fact, […]
Illegal or dishonest.
Usage- Colloquial
- Examples
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Michael had a number of sharp ventures that he kept off the books.
Keenly or unduly attentive to one's own interests; shrewd, verging on dishonest.
Usage- Colloquial
- Examples
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a sharp dealer, a sharp customer, sharp practice
But, as they have hitherto stood, a clergyman established in a competent living is not under the necessity of being so sharp, vigilant, and exacting.
Exact, precise, accurate; keen.
- Examples
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You'll need sharp aim to make that shot.
More examples (1)
Not long ago, it was difficult to produce photographs of tiny creatures with every part in focus.[…]A photo processing technique called focus stacking has changed that. Developed as a tool to electronically combine the sharpest bits of multiple digital images, focus stacking is a boon to biologists seeking full focus on a micron scale.
Offensive, critical, or acrimonious; stern or harsh.
- Examples
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sharp criticism
When the two rivals met, first there were sharp words, and then a fight broke out.
More examples (1)
The reviews have ranged from excellent (In Touch, Jan 76, and Gay Literature, Winter 76) to qualified praise (GCN, 6 Mar 76) to sharp attack (Allen Young in the current Gay Liberator; Allen calls it trivial and misogynist.
Stylish, smart or attractive.
Usage- Colloquial
- Examples
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You look so sharp in that tuxedo!
More examples (1)
A sharp dresser partial to snakeskin shoes whose miniature Australian shepherd dog Saatchi is a constant fixture on family outings, [Donald] Tang's next move was to reinvent himself as a dealmaker connecting China with Hollywood amid growing demand for entertainment content in both countries.
Observant; alert; acute.
- Examples
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Keep a sharp watch on the prisoners. I don't want them to escape!
Quick and alert.
- Examples
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Jones, the centre forward, made a sharp start to the game.
Strongly distinguishing or differentiating; acute.
- Examples
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a sharp contrast, a sharp distinction
More examples (1)
Paradoxically, the sharp and unambiguous formulas in which Lenin called for the use of terror and denied the possibility of democracy and freedom testified to the fact that freedom had not yet been completely eradicated.
Forming a small or tight angle; especially, forming an angle of less than ninety degrees.
- Examples
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Drive down Main for three quarters of a mile, then make a sharp right turn onto Pine.
a sharp turn or curve
More examples (1)
The street down which Warwick had come intersected Front Street at a sharp angle in front of the old hotel, forming a sort of flatiron block at the junction, known as Liberty Point
Steep; precipitous; abrupt.
- Examples
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a sharp ascent or descent
Said of as extreme a value as possible.
Usage- of a statement
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Sure, any planar graph can be five-colored. But that result is not sharp: in fact, any planar graph can be four-colored. That is sharp: the same can't be said for any lower number.
Tactical; risky.
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Time and time again, the amateur player has lost the opportunity to make the really best move because he felt bound to follow some chess "rule" he had learned, rather than to make the sharp move which was indicated by the position.
In such situations most chess players choose the obvious and logical way: they go in for sharp play. However, not everyone is a natural attacking player[…]
Piercing; keen; severe; painful.
- Examples
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a sharp pain; the sharp and frosty winter air
Sharp misery had worn him to the bones.
More examples (2)
The night was Winter in his roughest mood; the morning sharp and clear.
In sharpest perils faithful proved, Let his soul love thee to the end.
Eager or keen in pursuit; impatient for gratification.
- Examples
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a sharp appetite
Fierce; ardent; fiery; violent; impetuous.
Usage- Obsolete
- Examples
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And fear of God, from whom their piety feign'd In sharp contest of battle found no aid Against invaders
A sharp assault already is begun;
Composed of hard, angular grains; gritty.
- Examples
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Well-burnt good lime and sharp sand, if very sharp, a load of sand (about 36 bushels) to a hundred of lime (being 25 bushels, or a hundred pecks[…]
Uttered in a whisper, or with the breath alone; aspirated; unvoiced.
Usage- Dated
Hungry.
Usage- Obsolete
- Examples
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“[W]hy this last week we ha'n't had nothing at all but some dry musty red herrings; so you may think, Miss, we're kept pretty sharp!”
“[…] It’s child’s play to find the stuff now. I’ve half a mind to dine first.” “I don’t feel sharp,” growled Morgan.
Adverb
In a sharp manner: a less usual alternative to sharply in certain senses. To a point or edge.
In a sharp manner: a less usual alternative to sharply in certain senses. Piercingly.
- Examples
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The iron plates rang sharp, but turn'd the spear
In a sharp manner: a less usual alternative to sharply in certain senses. Eagerly.
- Examples
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You bite so sharp at reasons.
In a sharp manner: a less usual alternative to sharply in certain senses. So as to make a sharp, or tight, angle.
- Examples
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South of the city the river turns sharp to the east.
sharp left, sharp right
Exactly.
Usage- not-comparable
- of times of day
- Examples
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I'll see you at twelve o'clock sharp.
In a higher pitch than is correct or desirable.
- Examples
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I didn't enjoy the concert much because the soprano sang sharp on all the high notes.
More examples (1)
1867, Dutton Cook, Hobson's Choice, Chapter 8, “Music Hath Charms”, p. 72 Whereas Matilda Milner frequently sang sharp, in spite of the efforts of Miss Brown, who played the accompaniment, to give her the right note and keep her in tune.
Noun
The symbol ⟨♯⟩, placed after the name of a note in the key signature or before a note on the staff to indicate that the note is to be played one chromatic semitone higher.
- Examples
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The pitch pipe sounded out a perfect F♯ (F sharp).
Transposition frequently is harder to read because of all the sharps and flats on the staff.
A note that is played one chromatic semitone higher than usual; denoted by the name of the note that is followed by the symbol ⟨♯⟩.
A note that is sharp in a particular key.
- Examples
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The piece was difficult to read after it had been transposed, since in the new key many notes were sharps.
The scale having a particular sharp note as its tonic.
- Examples
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Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata is written in C♯ minor (C sharp minor).
Something that is sharp.
Usage- plural-normally
- Examples
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Place sharps in the specially marked red container for safe disposal.
If butchers had but the manners to go to sharps, gentlemen would be contented with a rubber at cuffs.
Something that is sharp. A hypodermic syringe.
Usage- plural-normally
Something that is sharp. A scalpel or other edged instrument used in surgery.
Usage- Dated
- plural-normally
Something that is sharp. A sharp object; any item pointed enough to injure human skin.
Usage- plural-normally
A dishonest person; a cheater.
- Examples
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The billiard sharp whom anyone catches / His doom's extremely hard— [...]
The casino kept in the break room a set of pictures of known sharps for the bouncers to see.
More examples (1)
This usage is often classified as a variant spelling of shark, and unrelated to the 'pointed' or 'cutting' meanings of sharp.
Part of a stream where the water runs very rapidly.
- Examples
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here are good fish to be picked out of sharps and stop-holes into the water-tables
A sewing needle with a very slender point, more pointed than a blunt or a between.
Fine particles of husk mixed with coarse particle of flour of cereals; middlings.
Usage- in-plural
- Examples
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More examples (1)
While he worked he talked to his ducks, who were waddling about hopefully, as it was almost time for the red bucket to be filled with sharps and potato-peelings.
An expert.
Usage- Dated
- Slang
A sharpie (member of Australian gangs of the 1960s and 1970s).
- Examples
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The Circle was one of the few dances the older sharps frequented; mostly they were to be found in pubs, pool-halls or at the track.
Verb
To raise the pitch of a note half a step making a natural note a sharp.
- Examples
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That new musician must be tone deaf: he sharped half the notes of the song!
To play tricks in bargaining; to act the sharper.
- Examples
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he made a shift yet to pick up a Sorry Living upon the Rook ; and not by Sharping alone , but now and then by downright Stealing
To sharpen.
Usage- Obsolete
- Transitive
Adjective
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
- Synonyms
- Examples
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a sharp photographic image
the sharp crack of a twig
More examples (1)
the crisp snap of dry leaves underfoot
ending in a sharp point
- Synonyms
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
- Examples
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an acute observer of politics and politicians
incisive comments
More examples (4)
icy knifelike reasoning
as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang
penetrating insight
frequent penetrative observations
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
- Examples
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a smart businessman
an astute tenant always reads the small print in a lease
More examples (1)
he was too shrewd to go along with them on a road that could lead only to their overthrow
harsh
- Synonyms
- Examples
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sharp criticism
a sharp-worded exchange
More examples (1)
a tart remark
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
- Synonyms
- Examples
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a shrill whistle
a shrill gaiety
dangerously steep
- Synonyms
- Examples
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an abrupt canyon
the precipitous rapids of the upper river
More examples (2)
the precipitous hills of Chinese paintings
a sharp drop
keenly and painfully felt; as if caused by a sharp edge or point
- Antonyms
- Examples
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a sharp pain
sharp winds
having or made by a thin edge or sharp point; suitable for cutting or piercing
- Antonyms
- Examples
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a sharp knife
a pencil with a sharp point
(of a musical note) raised in pitch by one chromatic semitone
- Examples
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C sharp
very sudden and in great amount or degree
- Examples
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a sharp drop in the stock market
quick and forceful
- Examples
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a sharp blow
Noun
a musical notation indicating one half step higher than the note named
- Broader terms
a long thin sewing needle with a sharp point
- Broader terms
Adverb
changing suddenly in direction and degree
- Examples
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the road twists sharply after the light
turn sharp left here
More examples (2)
the visor was acutely peaked
her shoes had acutely pointed toes