sharp

adjective, adverb, noun

(sharper, sharpest) edge / point 1 having a fine edge or point, especially of sth that can cut or make a hole in sth: a sharp knife / pencil * sharp teeth / claws OPPBLUNT rise / drop / change 2 [usuallybeforenoun] sudden and rapid, especially of a change in sth: a sharp drop in prices * a sharp rise in crime * a sharp fall / decline / increase / reduction in sth * He heard a sharp intake of breath. * We need to give young criminals a short, sharp shock (= a punishment that is very unpleasant for a short time). clear / definite 3 [usuallybeforenoun] clear and definite: a sharp outline * The photograph is not very sharp (= there are no clear contrasts between areas of light and shade). * She drew a sharp distinction between domestic and international politics. * In sharp contrast to her mood, the clouds were breaking up to reveal a blue sky. * The issue must be brought into sharper focus. mind / eyes 4 (of people or their minds, eyes, etc.) quick to notice or understand things or to react: to have sharp eyes / ears / reflexes * a girl of sharp intelligence * a sharp sense of humour * He kept a sharp lookout for any strangers. * It was very sharp of you to see that! critical 5 ~ (with sb) (of a person or what they say) critical or harsh: sharp criticism / words * Emma has a sharp tongue (= she often speaks in a harsh or unkind way). * He was very sharp with me when I was late. sounds 6 [usuallybeforenoun] loud, sudden and often high in tone: She read out the list in sharp, clipped tones. * There was a sharp knock on the door. feeling 7 (of a physical feeling or an emotion) very strong and sudden, often like being cut or wounded: He winced as a sharp pain shot through his leg. * Polly felt a sharp pang of jealousy. curves 8 changing direction suddenly: a sharp bend in the road * a sharp turn to the left flavour / smell 9 strong and slightly bitter: The cheese has a distinctively sharp taste. frost / wind 10 used to describe a very cold or very severe FROST or wind seealsoRAZOR-SHARP clever and dishonest 11 (disapproving) (of a person or their way of doing business) clever but possibly dishonest: His lawyer's a sharp operator. * The firm had to face some sharp practice from competing companies. clothes 12 [usuallybeforenoun] (of clothes or the way sb dresses) fashionable and new: (BrE, disapproving) The consultants were a group of men in sharp suits. * (AmE, approving) Todd is a really sharp dresser! face / features 13 not full or round in shape: a man with a thin face and sharp features (= a pointed nose and chin) in music 14 used after the name of a note to mean a note a SEMITONE/HALFTONE higher: the Piano Sonata in C sharp minor OPPFLAT compareNATURAL 15 above the correct PITCH (= how high or low a note sounds): That note sounded sharp. OPPFLAT IDIOMS look sharp (BrE) used in orders to tell sb to be quick or to hurry: You'd better look sharp or you'll be late. the sharp end (of sth) (BrE, informal) the place or position of greatest difficulty or responsibility: He started work at the sharp end of the business, as a salesman.