sharp
//ʃɑːp//
Forms
- Comparative
- sharper
- Superlative
- sharpest
- Comparative
- sharper
- Superlative
- sharpest
- Plural
- sharps
Definitions
1.Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut or pierce easily; not dull, obtuse, or rounded.
- 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.
- If a knife which is sharp is incorrectly used it will obviously be dangerous.
2.Intelligent.(colloquial)
- 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.
3.Raised by one semitone (denoted by the symbol ⟨♯⟩ after the name of the note).
4.Higher in pitch than required.
- The orchestra's third violin several times was sharp about an eighth of a tone.
1.Exactly.
- I'll see you at twelve o'clock sharp.
2.In a higher pitch than is correct or desirable.
- I didn't enjoy the concert much because the soprano sang sharp on all the high notes.
3.In a sharp manner: a less usual alternative to sharply in certain senses.
- South of the city the river turns sharp to the east.
- You bite so sharp at reasons.
1.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.
- 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.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2408
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
From Middle English scharp, from Old English sċearp, from Proto-West Germanic *skarp, from Proto-Germanic *skarpaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kerb-, from *(s)ker- (“to cut”).