sharpishadj.adv.
/ˈʃɑːpɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈʃɑrpɪʃ/ 1. Somewhat sharp.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > taste and flavour > sourness or acidity > [adjective]
sourc1000
sourish1398
acetosea1400
eagerc1405
acetous?a1425
crabbed1565
sharpish1589
unsugared1592
flatten1594
Amerine1601
acetosous1605
acerba1616
acid1626
acidulous1674
salso-acid1697
acescent1707
sugarless1785
acidulent1800
blink1883
brut1891
the world > space > shape > sharpness of edge or point > [adjective] > somewhat
sharpish1823
1589 A. Fleming tr. Virgil Georgiks ii. 39 in A. Fleming tr. Virgil Bucoliks Sowre and sharpish iuces.
1651 J. French Art Distillation iii. 87 A water somewhat sharpish.
1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at Service An acid or sharpish Liquor.
1823 J. Badcock Domest. Amusem. 208 The pontons, should be..sharpish fore and aft.
1880 R. B. Watson in Jrnl. Linn. Soc.: Zool. 15 118 A minute, sharpish spiral thread.
2. quasi-adv.= sharply adv. (esp. sense 4); somewhat sharply. colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > [adverb] > quickly or promptly > somewhat
quickish1880
sharpish1886
1886 H. Baumann Londinismen 174/1 He looks sharpish for his rents.
1899 Longman's Mag. July 273 When a barge does come, Dorcas ‘bustles her about sharpish’, and there is a great to-do.
1952 Chambers's Jrnl. Feb. 119/1 We're late ourselves. Better be off sharpish if we're going to be home for tea.
1975 T. Allbeury Special Coll. viii. 54 They shuffled him back to Moscow pretty sharpish.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.adv.1589