sharp

Meanings

Adjective

• Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut easily; not obtuse or rounded.
• Intelligent.
• Higher than usual by one semitone (denoted by the symbol ♯ after the name of the note).
• Higher in pitch than required.
• Having an intense, acrid flavour.
• Sudden and intense.
• Illegal or dishonest.
• Keenly or unduly attentive to one's own interests; shrewd.
• Exact, precise, accurate; keen.
• Offensive, critical, or acrimonious.
• Stylish or attractive.
• Observant; alert; acute.
• Forming a small angle; forming an angle of less than ninety degrees.
• Steep; precipitous; abrupt.
• Said of as extreme a value as possible.
• Tactical; risky.
• Piercing; keen; severe; painful.
• Eager or keen in pursuit; impatient for gratification.
• Fierce; ardent; fiery; violent; impetuous.
• Composed of hard, angular grains; gritty.
• Uttered in a whisper, or with the breath alone; aspirated; unvoiced.
• Hungry.

Adverb

• To a point or edge; piercingly; eagerly; sharply.
• Exactly.
• In a higher pitch than is correct or desirable.

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 a semitone higher.
• A note that is played a 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.
• The scale having a particular sharp note as its tonic.
• Something that is sharp.
• A dishonest person; a cheater.
• Part of a stream where the water runs very rapidly.
• 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.
• An expert.
• A sharpie .

Verb

• To raise the pitch of a note half a step making a natural note a sharp.
• To play tricks in bargaining; to act the sharper.
• To sharpen.

Related

Similar words

• keen, razor, razor-sharp
• brainy, bright, intelligent, keen, smart, witty
• pointed
• acrid, pungent
• abrupt, acute, stabbing
• dishonest, dodgy, illegal, illicit, underhand
• accurate, exact, keen, precise
• acrimonious, bitter, cutting, harsh, hostile, nasty
• chic, elegant, smart, stylish
• acute, alert, keen, observant, sharp-eyed

Opposite words

• blunt, dull
• dim, dim-witted, slow, slow-witted, thick
• blunt
• flat
• bland, insipid, tasteless
• dull
• above-board, honest, legit, legitimate, reputable
• inaccurate, imprecise
• complimentary, flattering, friendly, kind, nice
• inelegant, scruffy, shabby
• unobservant

Origin

• From Middle English scharp, from Old English sċearp, from Proto-Germanic *skarpaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kerb-. Cognate with West Frisian skerp, Low German scharp, Dutch scherp, German scharf, Danish skarp. Compare Irish cearb, Latin acerbus, Tocharian B kärpye, Latvian skârbs, Russian щерба, Polish szczerba, Albanian harb, from *(s)ker-. More at shear.