Sharper

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sharp \Sharp\, 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.


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              He dies upon my scimeter's sharp point. --Shak.
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     2. Terminating in a point or edge; not obtuse or rounded;
        somewhat pointed or edged; peaked or ridged; as, a sharp
        hill; sharp features.
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     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.
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     4. (Mus.)
        (a) High in pitch; acute; as, a sharp note or tone.
        (b) Raised a semitone in pitch; as, C sharp (C[sharp]),
            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}.
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     5. Very trying to the feelings; piercing; keen; severe;
        painful; distressing; as, sharp pain, weather; a sharp and
        frosty air.
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              Sharp misery had worn him to the bones. --Shak.
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              The morning sharp and clear.          --Cowper.
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              In sharpest perils faithful proved.   --Keble.
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     6. Cutting in language or import; biting; sarcastic; cruel;
        harsh; rigorous; severe; as, a sharp rebuke. "That sharp
        look." --Tennyson.
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              To that place the sharp Athenian law
              Can not pursue us.                    --Shak.
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              Be thy words severe,
              Sharp as merits but the sword forbear. --Dryden.
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     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.
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              Nothing makes men sharper . . . than want.
                                                    --Addison.
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              Many other things belong to the material world,
              wherein the sharpest philosophers have never ye?
              arrived at clear and distinct ideas.  --L. Watts.
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     8. Eager in pursuit; keen in quest; impatient for
        gratification; keen; as, a sharp appetite.
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     9. Fierce; ardent; fiery; violent; impetuous. "In sharp
        contest of battle." --Milton.
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              A sharp assault already is begun.     --Dryden.
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     10. Keenly or unduly attentive to one's own interest; close
         and exact in dealing; shrewd; as, a sharp dealer; a sharp
         customer.
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               The necessity of being so sharp and exacting.
                                                    --Swift.
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     11. Composed of hard, angular grains; gritty; as, sharp sand.
         --Moxon.
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     12. Steep; precipitous; abrupt; as, a sharp ascent or
         descent; a sharp turn or curve.
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     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.
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     Note: Sharp is often used in the formation of self-explaining
           compounds; as, sharp-cornered, sharp-edged,
           sharp-pointed, sharp-tasted, sharp-visaged, etc.
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     {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.
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     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.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sharper \Sharp"er\, n.
     A person who bargains closely, especially, one who cheats in
     bargains; a swinder; also, a cheating gamester.
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           Sharpers, as pikes, prey upon their own kind.
                                                    --L'Estrange.
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     Syn: Swindler; cheat; deceiver; trickster; rogue. See
          {Swindler}.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  sharper
       n : a person who swindles you by means of deception or fraud
           [syn: {swindler}, {chiseller}, {chiseler}, {gouger}, {scammer},
            {grifter}, {sharpie}, {sharpy}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  56 Moby Thesaurus words for "sharper":
     adventurer, betting ring, bettor, boneshaker, bunco artist,
     bunco steerer, cardshark, cardsharp, cardsharper, carpetbagger,
     cheat, compulsive gambler, con artist, con man, confidence man,
     crap shooter, crimp, defrauder, diddler, double-dealer, gambler,
     gamester, gyp, hazarder, horse coper, horse trader, jackleg,
     land pirate, land shark, land-grabber, mortgage shark, mountebank,
     pettifogger, petty gambler, piker, pitchman, player, plunger,
     punter, shark, sharp, sharpie, shortchanger, shyster, slicker,
     speculator, spieler, sport, sporting man, sportsman, tinhorn,
     tipster, tout, trickster, venturer, wagerer