| 释义 |
sharp
I. \ˈshärp, ˈshȧp\ adjective
(-er/-est)
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English scearp; akin to Old High German scarf sharp, Old Norse skarpr, Middle Irish cerb sharp, Russian shcherba notch, Greek keirein to cut — more at shear
1. : adapted to cutting or piercing: as
a.
(1) : having a thin keen edge
< a sharp sword >
(2) : of such thinness and keenness as to facilitate cutting
< an axe with a sharp edge >
b.
(1) : tapering to a fine point
< a sharp needle >
(2) : of such tapered fineness as to facilitate piercing
< a pin with a sharp point >
c. : beset with prickles : prickly
< sharp brambles and thorns >
d. : briskly or bitingly cold : nipping, raw
< a sharp wind >
< several sharp frosts >
e. : composed of hard angular particles : gritty
< sharp sand >
2.
a. : keen in intellect : mentally alert and able : quick-witted
b. : keen in perception : efficient in sensory function
< a sharp ear >
< sharp sight >
c. : keen in attention : vigilant
< a sharp lookout >
< kept a sharp watch on the market >
d.
(1) obsolete : discriminating, sagacious
(2) : cleverly biting : aptly witty
< sharp bits of whimsy >
e. : keen in attention to one's own interest : unduly smart or shrewd in practical matters sometimes to the point of being unethical
< a sharp trader >
< sometimes the customer may be sharper than the dealer >
3. : keen in spirit or action : violent, impetuous: as
a. : conducted with eagerness or fierceness : fiery, furious
< a sharp military engagement >
b. : closely or keenly contested
< a sharp run >
also : full of activity or energy : brisk
< sharp blows >
< a sharp young runner >
< hounds in sharp condition >
c.
(1) of a hawk : urgent for prey or food
(2) : impatient for gratification : demanding or requiring to be sated
< a sharp appetite >
d. : capable of acting or reacting strongly : very active in some particular way; especially : caustic
< a sharp lime liquor for removing hair from hides >
< a sharp soap rich in free alkali >
4. : severe, harsh, merciless: as
a. : inclined to or marked by intense irritability or anger : irascible
< a sharp temper >
b. : very trying to the feelings or spirit : causing intense mental or physical distress
< a sharp pain >
< in sharpest distress >
c. : cutting in language or import : conveying or intended to convey rebuke, anger, or satire
< sharp words >
< a sharp rebuke >
d. obsolete : austere
e.
(1) archaic : flowing rapidly or turbulently — used of a stream of water
(2) : marked by sudden brusque distention of the artery : jerky
< a sharp pulse >
5. : affecting the senses or sense organs intensely: as
a.
(1) : having a characteristic strong and usually pungent or acid odor or flavor
< sharp cheese >
(2) : acrid
< a sharp odor >
b. : having a characteristic strong and usually piercing or shrill sound
< a sharp whistle >
< a sharp clap of thunder >
c. : having the effect of or involving a sudden brilliant display of light
< a sharp flash >
6.
a. : terminating in a point or edge : not smoothly obtuse or rounded : peaked, ridged, angular
< sharp features >
< a sharp hill >
b.
(1) of an angle : acute
(2) : requiring or involving an abrupt change of direction : formed about an acute angle
< a sharp turn >
(3) : involving marked change and usually increase of gradient
< a sharp climb >
< a sharp dip in the road >
c. : appearing as if cut off clean : clear in outline or detail : distinct
< figures standing out sharp against the sky >
< a sharp photographic negative >
d. : set forth with clarity and distinctness and usually with marked contrast between elements : free from shading or transition
< a sharp line of demarcation >
< in sharp contrast with modern methods >
e. : fine, narrow — used especially of the bows of a ship
7.
a. : having a high pitch
< a sharp-toned musical instrument >
b. of a musical note or tone : raised a half step in pitch
< a sharp fourth >
c. : higher than the true pitch of a musical tone
< sang sharp all evening >
d. : major, augmented — used of an interval in music
e. : having a sharp in the signature
< played in the key of F sharp >
8. : stylish, elegant, dressy
< a sharp suit >
9. of a radio circuit : having a rapidly varying response to different frequencies — opposed to broad
Synonyms:
keen, acute: sharp, in reference to things, may refer either to fine edges making cutting easy or to fine points facilitating piercing
< a sharp knife >
< sharp as a needle >
and in reference to persons may indicate quick accurate perception or analysis, general cleverness and resourcefulness, or tricky, sometimes questionable cunning
< a cold and analytical mind, as sharp in criticism and often as bitter as has appeared — Irish Digest >
< lying was not high diplomacy, nor sharp practices good commerce — Haldane Macfall >
keen may describe quite sharp cutting edges
< a keen knife >
In reference to persons it implies perceptiveness, clear-sightedness, skill in quick analysis, and overall mental readiness
< skillfully and pleasantly written, it was in effect a keen attack upon the English Church and its clergy — H.E.Starr >
< his teaching was remarkable for a variety of qualities: swift and keen generalization, ready control of the background of ideas — C.N.Greenough >
acute is likely to refer to angles; in reference to people it may suggest discrimination and analytical penetration equipping one to solve more knotty problems
< it was very acute … to spot such a deep game — Joseph Conrad >
< as the acute reader will not have failed to note — Havelock Ellis >
II. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English sharpen, from Old English scerpan, scyrpan; akin to Middle High German scherpfen to sharpen, Icelandic skerpa; causative from the root of English sharp (I)
transitive verb
1. dialect : sharpen
2. : to raise (as a musical tone) in pitch; especially : to raise in pitch by a half step
3. archaic : to obtain by trickery or swindling : pilfer
intransitive verb
1. : to sing or play above the true pitch
2. archaic : to act the sharper
III. adverb
(-er/-est)
Etymology: Middle English sharpe, from Old English scearpe, from scearp, adjective — more at sharp I
: in a sharp manner : sharply: as
a. obsolete : shrilly
b. : to a point or edge
c. : close to the wind
< a ship braced sharp up >
d. : higher than the true or accepted musical pitch
< sang sharp >
e. : abruptly, quickly, briskly
f. : precisely, exactly
< an appointment at one o'clock sharp >
g. : acutely — often used in combination
< sharp-angled >
h. : in a trim well-turned-out manner or style : so as to be notable for style or dressiness
< looking sharp in a new tweed >
IV. noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English, from sharp, adjective — more at sharp I
: one that is sharp: as
a. : a sharp edge or point
b. archaic : a sharp weapon
c.
(1) : a musical note or tone one half step higher than a note or tone named
< C sharp is the sharp of C >
(2) : a character ♯ on a line or space of the musical staff indicating a pitch a half step higher than the degree would indicate without it
(3) : the key next to the right of any given key on a keyboard musical instrument
d. sharps plural, chiefly Britain : middling 1b
e. : a long needle with sharp point for general sewing
f. : a real or self-styled expert; also : sharper
g. : a thin sharp piece of diamond used especially for cutting, for cleaving, or for engraving gems |