SH'ARP, a.

1. Having a very thin edge or a fine point; keen; acute; not blunt. Thus we may say, a sharp knife, or a sharp needle. A sharp edge easily severs a substance; a sharp point is easily made to penetrate,it.

2. Terminating in a point or edge; not obtuse; as, a hills terminates in a sharp peak, or a sharp ridge.

3. Forming an acute or too small angle at the ridge; as a sharp roof.

4. Acute of mind; quick to discern or distinguish; penetrating; ready at invention; witty; ingenious.

Nothing makes men sharper than want. Addison.

Many other things belong to the material world, wherein the sharpest philosophers have not yet obtained clear ideas. Watts.

5. Being of quick or nice perception; applied to the senses or organs of perception; as a sharp eye; sharp sight.

6. Affecting the organs of taste like fine points; piercing; penetrating; shrill; as sharp vinegar; sharp tasted citrons.

7. Affecting the organs of hearing like sharp points; poercing; penetrating; shrill; as a sharp sound or voice; a sharp not or tone; opposed to a flat note or sound.

8. Severe; harsh; biting; sarcastic; as sharp words; sharp rebuke.

-Be thy words severe,

1. Having a very thin edge or fine point; keen; acute; not blunt. Thus we say, a sharp knife, or a sharp needle. A sharp edge easily severs a substance; a sharp point is easily made to penetrate it.
2. Terminating in a point or edge; not obtuse; as, a hill terminates in a sharp peak, or a sharp ridge.
3. Forming an acute or too small angle at the ridge; as, a sharp roof.
4. Acute of mind; quick to discern or distinguish; penetrating; ready at invention; witty; ingenious. Nothing makes men sharper than want. – Addison. Many other things belong to the material world, wherein the sharpest philosophers have not yet obtained clear ideas. – Watts.
5. Being of quick or nice perception; applied to the senses or organs of perception; as, a sharp eye; sharp sight. To sharp ey'd reason this would seem untrue. – Dryden.
6. Affecting the organs of taste like fine points; sour; acid; as, sharp vinegar; sharp tasted citrons. – Dryden.
7. Affecting the organs of hearing like sharp points; piercing; penetrating; shrill; as, a sharp pound or voice; a sharp note or tone; opposed to a flat note or sound.
8. Severe; harsh; biting; sarcastic; as, sharp words; sharp rebuke. Be thy the words severe, / Sharp as he merits; but the sword forbear. – Dryden.
9. Severely rigid; quick or severe in punishing; cruel. To that place the sharp Athenian law / Can not pursue us. – Shak.
10. Eager for food; keen; as, a sharp appetite.
11. Eager in pursuit; keen in request. My falchion now is sharp and passing empty. – Shak.
12. Fierce; ardent; fiery; violent; as, a sharp contest. A sharp assault already is begun. – Dryden.
13. Keen; severe; pungent; as, sharp pain.
14. Very painful or distressing; as, sharp tribulation; a sharp fit of the gout.
15. Very attentive or vigilant. Sharp at her utmost ken she cast her eyes. – Dryden.
16. Making nice calculations of profit; or close and exact in making bargains or demanding dues. – Swift.
17. Biting; pinching; piercing; as, sharp air; sharp wind or weather. – Ray.
18. Subtil; nice; witty; acute; used of things; as, a sharp discourse.
19. Among workmen, hard; as, sharp sand. – Moxon.
20. Emaciated; lean; thin; as, a sharp visage. – Milton. To brace sharp, in seamanship, to turn the yards to the most oblique position possible, that the ship may lay well up to the wind. – Mar. Dict.

1. In music, an acute sound. – Shak.
2. A note artificially raised a semitone; or,
3. The character which directs the note to be thus elevated; opposed to a flat, which depresses a note a semitone. – Encyc.
4. A pointed weapon. [Not in use.]

To play tricks in bargaining; to act the sharper. – L'Estrange.

1. To make keen or acute. – B. Jonson.
2. To render quick. Spenser.
3. To mark with a sharp, in musical composition; or to raise a note a semitone.

1. Having a very thin edge or fine point] of a nature to cut or pierce easily; not blunt or dull; keen.
   
   

   He dies upon my scimeter's sharp point. Shak.

2. To a point or edge; piercingly; eagerly; sharply.
   
   
   M. Arnold.

   The head [of a spear] full sharp yground. Chaucer.

   You bite so sharp at reasons. Shak.

3. A sharp tool or weapon.
   
   
   [Obs.]

   If butchers had but the manners to go to sharps, gentlemen would be contented with a rubber at cuffs. Collier.

4. To sharpen.
   
   
   [Obs.] Spenser.
5. To play tricks in bargaining; to act the sharper.
   
   
   L'Estrange.
6. Terminating in a point or edge; not obtuse or rounded; somewhat pointed or edged; peaked or ridged; as, a sharp hill; sharp features.
7. Precisely; exactly; as, we shall start at ten o'clock sharp.
   
   
   [Colloq.]

   Look sharp, attend; be alert. [Colloq.]

8. 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)
9. To raise above the proper pitch] to elevate the tone of; especially, to raise a half step, or semitone, above the natural tone.
10. To sing above the proper pitch.
11. 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.
12. A portion of a stream where the water runs very rapidly.
    
    
    [Prov. Eng.] C. Kingsley.
13. High in pitch; acute; as, a sharp note or tone.
    
    
    (b)
14. A sewing needle having a very slender point; a needle of the most pointed of the three grades, blunts, betweens, and sharps.
15. Very trying to the feelings; piercing; keen; severe; painful; distressing; as, sharp pain, weather; a sharp and frosty air.
    
    

    Sharp misery had worn him to the bones. Shak.

    The morning sharp and clear. Cowper.

    In sharpest perils faithful proved. Keble.

16. Same as Middlings, 1.
17. Cutting in language or import; biting; sarcastic; cruel; harsh; rigorous; severe; as, a sharp rebuke.
    
    
    "That sharp look." Tennyson.

    To that place the sharp Athenian law
    Can not pursue us. Shak.

    Be thy words severe,
    Sharp as merits but the sword forbear. Dryden.

18. An expert.
    
    
    [Slang]
19. Of keen perception; quick to discern or distinguish; having nice discrimination; acute; penetrating; sagacious; clever; as, a sharp eye; sharp sight, hearing, or judgment.
    
    

    Nothing makes men sharper . . . than want. Addison.

    Many other things belong to the material world, wherein the sharpest philosophers have never ye(?) arrived at clear and distinct ideas. L. Watts.

20. Eager in pursuit; keen in quest; impatient for gratification; keen; as, a sharp appetite.
21. Fierce; ardent; fiery; violent; impetuous.
    
    
    "In sharp contest of battle." Milton.

    A sharp assault already is begun. Dryden.

22. Keenly or unduly attentive to one's own interest; close and exact in dealing; shrewd; as, a sharp dealer; a sharp customer.
    
    

    The necessity of being so sharp and exacting. Swift.

23. Composed of hard, angular grains; gritty; as, sharp sand.
    
    
    Moxon.
24. Steep; precipitous; abrupt; as, a sharp ascent or descent; a sharp turn or curve.
25. Uttered in a whisper, or with the breath alone, without voice, as certain consonants, such as p, k, t, f; surd; nonvocal; aspirated.
    
    

    * Sharp is often used in the formation of self- explaining compounds; as, sharp-cornered, sharp-edged, sharp-pointed, sharp-tasted, sharp-visaged, etc.

    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.

    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.