sharp

Use Sharp in a sentence

adjective

having a thin cutting edge or a fine point; well-adapted for cutting or piercing: a sharp knife.

terminating in an edge or point; not blunt or rounded: The table had sharp corners.

involving a sudden or abrupt change in direction or course: a sharp curve in the road; The car made a sharp turn.

abrupt, as an ascent: a sharp drop.

consisting of angular lines and pointed forms or of thin, long features: He had a sharp face.

clearly defined; distinct: a sharp photographic image.

distinct or marked, as a contrast: sharp differences of opinion.

pungent or biting in taste: a sharp cheese.

piercing or shrill in sound: a sharp cry.

10.

keenly cold, as weather: a sharp, biting wind.

11.

felt acutely; intense; distressing: sharp pain.

12.

merciless, caustic, or harsh: sharp words.

13.

fierce or violent: a sharp struggle.

14.

keen or eager: sharp desire.

15.

quick, brisk, or spirited.

16.

alert or vigilant: They kept a sharp watch for the enemy.

17.

mentally acute: a sharp lad.

18.

extremely sensitive or responsive; keen: sharp vision; sharp hearing.

19.

shrewd or astute: a sharp bargainer.

20.

shrewd to the point of dishonesty: sharp practice.

21.

Music.

(of a tone) raised a chromatic half step in pitch: F sharp.

above an intended pitch, as a note; too high ( opposed to flat ).

22.

Informal. very stylish: a sharp dresser; a sharp jacket.

23.

Radio, Electronics. of, relating to, or responsive to a very narrow range of frequencies. Compare broadband.

24.

Phonetics. fortis; voiceless.

25.

composed of hard, angular grains, as sand.

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verb (used with object)

26.

Music. to raise in pitch, especially by one chromatic half step.

00:10

Sharp is one of our favorite verbs.

So is bowdlerise. Does it mean:

to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.

to run away hurriedly; flee.

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verb (used without object)

27.

to sound above the true pitch.

adverb

28.

keenly or acutely.

29.

abruptly or suddenly: to pull a horse up sharp.

30.

punctually: Meet me at one o'clock sharp.

31.

vigilantly.

32.

briskly; quickly.

33.

Music. above the true pitch: You're singing a little sharp.

noun

34.

something sharp.

35.

Usually, sharps. a medium-length needle with a rounded eye and a sharp point, used for all-purpose hand sewing.

36.

a sharper.

37.

Informal. an expert.

38.

Music.

a tone one chromatic half step above a given tone.

(in musical notation) the symbol ♯ indicating this.

Origin:
before 900; (adj.) Middle English; Old English scearp; cognate with German scharf; akin to Irish cearb a cut (noun), keen (adj.); (adv.) Middle English; Old English scearpe, derivative of the adj.; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the adj.; (v.) derivative of the adj.

Related forms

sharp·ly, adverb

sharp·ness, noun

o·ver·sharp, adjective

su·per·sharp, adjective

ul·tra·sharp, adjective

un·sharp, adjective

un·sharp·ly, adverb

un·sharp·ness, noun

un·sharped, adjective

un·sharp·ing, adjective

Synonyms
1. Sharp, keen refer to the edge or point of an instrument, tool, and the like. Sharp applies, in general, to a cutting edge or a point capable of piercing: a sharp knife; a sharp point. Keen is usually applied to sharp edges: a keen sword blade. 6. clear. 8. acrid, bitter, piquant, sour. 10. piercing, nipping, biting. 11. severe, excruciating. 12. unmerciful, cutting, acid, acrimonious, pointed, biting. 16. attentive. 17. clever, discriminating, discerning, perspicacious. As applied to mental qualities, sharp, keen, intelligent, quick have varying implications. Sharp suggests an acute, sensitive, alert, penetrating quality: a sharp mind. Keen implies observant, incisive, and vigorous: a keen intellect. Intelligent means not only acute, alert, and active, but also able to reason and understand: an intelligent reader. Quick suggests lively and rapid comprehension, prompt response to instruction, and the like: quick at figures. 20. shady, deceitful.

Antonyms
1. dull.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

noun

William ( "Fiona Macleod" ) 1855?–1905, Scottish poet and critic.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To Sharp

Collins

World English Dictionary

sharp (ʃɑːp)

—*adj*
1.	having a keen edge suitable for cutting
2.	having an edge or point; not rounded or blunt
3.	involving a sudden change, esp in direction: a sharp bend
4.	moving, acting, or reacting quickly, efficiently, etc: sharp reflexes
5.	clearly defined
6.	mentally acute; clever; astute
7.	sly or artful; clever in an underhand way: sharp practice
8.	bitter or harsh: sharp words
9.	shrill or penetrating: a sharp cry
10.	having an acrid taste
11.	keen; biting: a sharp wind; sharp pain
12.	music
	a. (immediately postpositive) denoting a note that has been raised in pitch by one chromatic semitone: B sharp
	b. Compare flat (of an instrument, voice, etc) out of tune by being or tending to be too high in pitch
13.	phonetics a less common word for fortis
14.	informal
	a. stylish
	b. too smart
15.	at the sharp end involved in the area of any activity where there is most difficulty, competition, danger, etc

—*adv*
16.	in a sharp manner
17.	exactly: six o'clock sharp
18.	music
	a. higher than a standard pitch
	b. Compare flat out of tune by being or tending to be too high in pitch: she sings sharp

—n
19.	music
	a. Usual symbol: ♯ an accidental that raises the pitch of the following note by one chromatic semitone
	b. Compare flat a note affected by this accidental
20.	a thin needle with a sharp point
21.	informal a sharper
22.	(usually plural) any medical instrument with sharp point or edge, esp a hypodermic needle

—vb
23.	(US), (Canadian) (tr) music Usual equivalent in Britain and certain other countries): sharpen to raise the pitch of (a note), esp by one chromatic semitone

—*interj*
24.	slang (South African) an exclamation of full agreement or approval

[Old English scearp; related to Old Norse skarpr, Old High German scarpf, Old Irish cerb, Lettish skarbs]

'sharply

—*adv*

'sharpness

—n

Sharp (ʃɑːp)

—n
	Cecil (James). 1859--1924, British musician, best known for collecting, editing, and publishing English folk songs

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

sharp

O.E. scearp "cutting, keen, sharp," from P.Gmc. *skarpaz, lit. "cutting" (cf. O.S. scarp O.N. skarpr O.Fris. skerp Du. scherp Ger. scharf "sharp"), from PIE *(s)ker- "cut" (cf. Lett. skarbs "sharp," M.Ir. cerb "cutting;" see shear). The fig. meaning "acute or penetrating in

intellect or perception" is from O.E. The meaning "promptly" is first attested 1840. The musical meaning "half step above a given tone" is from 1576. Phrase sharp as a tack first recorded 1912 (sharp as a needle has been around since O.E.).

sharp

"a cheat at games," 1797, short for sharper (1681), probably a variant of sharker (see shark). Meaning "expert, connoisseur" is attested friom 1840, and likely is from sharp (adj.).

Slang Dictionary

sharp definition

mod.
clever; intelligent. : She's sharp enough to see right through everything you say.
mod.
good-looking; well-dressed. : That's a sharp set of wheels you got there.

Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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