sharp
pronunciation
How to pronounce sharp in British English:
UK [ʃɑːp]
How to pronounce sharp in American English:
US [ʃɑːrp]
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- Noun:
- a musical notation indicating one half step higher than the note named
- a long thin sewing needle with a sharp point
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- Adjective:
- (of something seen or heard) clearly defined
- ending in a sharp point
- having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
- marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
- harsh
- high-pitched and sharp
- extremely steep
- keenly and painfully felt; as if caused by a sharp edge or point
- very penetrating and clear and sharp in operation
- having or made by a thin edge or sharp point; suitable for cutting or piercing
- sour or bitter in taste
- raised in pitch by one chromatic semitone
- very sudden and in great amount or degree
- quick and forceful
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- Adverb:
- changing suddenly in direction and degree
Word Origin
- sharp
- sharp: [OE] Sharp, together with its close relatives German scharf, Dutch scherp, and Swedish and Danish skarp, goes back to a prehistoric Germanic *skarpaz. This was probably descended from an extension of the Indo-European base *sker- ‘cut’ (source of English score, share, shear, etc). Welsh has borrowed sharp as siarp.=> shear
- sharp (adj.)
- Old English scearp "having a cutting edge; pointed; intellectually acute, active, shrewd; keen (of senses); severe; biting, bitter (of tastes)," from Proto-Germanic *skarpaz, literally "cutting" (cognates: Old Saxon scarp, Old Norse skarpr, Old Frisian skerp, Dutch scherp, German scharf "sharp"), from PIE *(s)ker- (1) "to cut" (cognates: Lettish skarbs "sharp," Middle Irish cerb "cutting;" see shear (v.)). The figurative meaning "acute or penetrating in intellect or perception" was in Old English; hence "keenly alive to one's own interests, quick to take advantage" (1690s). Of words or talk, "cutting, sarcastic," from early 13c. Meaning "distinct in contour" is from 1670s. The adverbial meaning "abruptly" is from 1836; that of "promptly" is first attested 1840. The musical meaning "half step above (a given tone)" is from 1570s. Meaning "stylish" is from 1944, hepster slang, from earlier general slang sense of "excellent" (1940). Phrase sharp as a tack first recorded 1912 (sharp as a needle has been around since Old English). Sharp-shinned attested from 1704 of persons, 1813 of hawks.
- sharp (n.)
- "a cheat at games," 1797, short for sharper (1680s) in this sense. Meaning "expert, connoisseur" is attested from 1840, and likely is from sharp (adj.). Music sense is from 1570s. The noun was used 14c. as "a sharp weapon, edge of a sword."
Example
- 1. Being the eurozone 's largest economy , its sharp decline contributed greatly to the overall negative number .
- 2. Low average unemployment disguises some sharp variations .
- 3. The indian boy took a sharp thorn from a bramble .
- 4. Sharp dialogue was once the show 's hallmark .
- 5. Is this the recipe for a sharp mind ?