a. [ Compar. Sharper superl. Sharpest. ] [ OE. sharp, scharp, scarp, AS. scearp; akin to OS. skarp, LG. scharp, D. scherp, G. scharf, Dan. & Sw. skarp, Icel. skarpr. Cf. Escarp, Scrape, Scorpion. ] 1. Having a very thin edge or fine point; of a nature to cut or pierce easily; not blunt or dull; keen. [ 1913 Webster ]

He dies upon my scimeter's sharp point. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Terminating in a point or edge; not obtuse or rounded; somewhat pointed or edged; peaked or ridged; as, a sharp hill; sharp features. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mus.) (a) High in pitch; acute; as, a sharp note or tone. (b) Raised a semitone in pitch; as, C sharp (C♯), which is a half step, or semitone, higher than C. (c) So high as to be out of tune, or above true pitch; as, the tone is sharp; that instrument is sharp. Opposed in all these senses to flat. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Very trying to the feelings; piercing; keen; severe; painful; distressing; as, sharp pain, weather; a sharp and frosty air. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sharp misery had worn him to the bones. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The morning sharp and clear. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

In sharpest perils faithful proved. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Cutting in language or import; biting; sarcastic; cruel; harsh; rigorous; severe; as, a sharp rebuke. “That sharp look.” Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

To that place the sharp Athenian law
Can not pursue us. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Be thy words severe,
Sharp as merits but the sword forbear. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Of keen perception; quick to discern or distinguish; having nice discrimination; acute; penetrating; sagacious; clever; as, a sharp eye; sharp sight, hearing, or judgment. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nothing makes men sharper . . . than want. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Many other things belong to the material world, wherein the sharpest philosophers have never ye&unr_; arrived at clear and distinct ideas. L. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Eager in pursuit; keen in quest; impatient for gratification; keen; as, a sharp appetite. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Fierce; ardent; fiery; violent; impetuous. “In sharp contest of battle.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

A sharp assault already is begun. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. Keenly or unduly attentive to one's own interest; close and exact in dealing; shrewd; as, a sharp dealer; a sharp customer. [ 1913 Webster ]

The necessity of being so sharp and exacting. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. Composed of hard, angular grains; gritty; as, sharp sand. Moxon. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. Steep; precipitous; abrupt; as, a sharp ascent or descent; a sharp turn or curve. [ 1913 Webster ]

13. (Phonetics) Uttered in a whisper, or with the breath alone, without voice, as certain consonants, such as p, k, t, f; surd; nonvocal; aspirated. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Sharp is often used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, sharp-cornered, sharp-edged, sharp-pointed, sharp-tasted, sharp-visaged, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To play tricks in bargaining; to act the sharper. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) To sing above the proper pitch. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sharped p. pr. & vb. n. Sharping. ] 1. To sharpen. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) To raise above the proper pitch; to elevate the tone of; especially, to raise a half step, or semitone, above the natural tone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A sharp tool or weapon. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

If butchers had but the manners to go to sharps, gentlemen would be contented with a rubber at cuffs. Collier. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) (a) The character [ ♯ ] used to indicate that the note before which it is placed is to be raised a half step, or semitone, in pitch. (b) A sharp tone or note. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A portion of a stream where the water runs very rapidly. [ Prov. Eng. ] C. Kingsley. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A sewing needle having a very slender point; a needle of the most pointed of the three grades, blunts, betweens, and sharps. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. pl. Same as Middlings, 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. An expert. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. To a point or edge; piercingly; eagerly; sharply. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

The head [ of a spear ] full sharp yground. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

You bite so sharp at reasons. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Precisely; exactly; as, we shall start at ten o'clock sharp. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Look sharp, attend; be alert. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Cut sharply or definitely, or so as to make a clear, well-defined impression, as the lines of an engraved plate, and the like; clear-cut; hence, having great distinctness; well-defined; clear. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To grow or become sharp. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Sarpened p. pr. & vb. n. Sharpening. ] [ See Sharp, a. ] To make sharp. Specifically: (a) To give a keen edge or fine point to; to make sharper; as, to sharpen an ax, or the teeth of a saw. (b) To render more quick or acute in perception; to make more ready or ingenious. [ 1913 Webster ]

The air . . . sharpened his visual ray
To objects distant far. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

(c) To make more eager; as, to sharpen men's desires. [ 1913 Webster ]

Epicurean cooks
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

(d) To make more pungent and intense; as, to sharpen a pain or disease. (e) To make biting, sarcastic, or severe. “Sharpen each word.” E. Smith. (f) To render more shrill or piercing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Inclosures not only preserve sound, but increase and sharpen it. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

(g) To make more tart or acid; to make sour; as, the rays of the sun sharpen vinegar. (h) (Mus.) To raise, as a sound, by means of a sharp; to apply a sharp to. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person who bargains closely, especially, one who cheats in bargains; a swinder; also, a cheating gamester. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sharpers, as pikes, prey upon their own kind. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Swindler; cheat; deceiver; trickster; rogue. See Swindler. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) A long, sharp, flat-bottomed boat, with one or two masts carrying a triangular sail. They are often called Fair Haven sharpies, after the place on the coast of Connecticut where they originated. [ Local, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]