sharp

1. adjective /ʃɑɹp,ʃɑːp/

a) Able to cut easily.

I keep my knives sharp so that they dont slip unexpectedly while carving.

b) Intelligent.

My nephew is a sharp lad; he can count to 100 in six languages, and hes only five years old.

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

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

2. adverb /ʃɑɹp,ʃɑːp/

a) Exactly.

Ill see you at twelve oclock sharp.

b) In a higher pitch than is correct or desirable.

I didnt enjoy the concert much because the tenor kept going sharp on the high notes.

Syn: exactly, on the dot, precisely

3. noun /ʃɑɹp,ʃɑːp/

a) 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.

The casino kept in the break room a set of pictures of known sharps for the bouncers to see.

b) A note that is played a semitone higher than usual; denoted by the name of the note that is followed by the symbol ♯.

4. verb /ʃɑɹp,ʃɑːp/

To raise the pitch of a note half a step making a natural note a sharp.

That new musician must be tone deaf: he sharped half the notes of the song!