{
    "term": "sharp",
    "partOfSpeech": "adjective",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b1",
    "image": "data/images/mu/musicalnotation.png",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "having a fine edge or point, especially of something that can cut or make a hole in something",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **sharp knife**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Toys with **sharp edges** are not suitable for young children."
                },
                {
                    "text": "sharp teeth"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Take a sheet of paper and a sharp pencil."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "feel", "look"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"],
                "phrases": ["as sharp as a razor"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "sudden, rapid and large",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **sharp drop** in prices"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a **sharp rise** in crime"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a **sharp increase** in unemployment"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the **sharp decline** in the value of the pound against the dollar"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He heard a sharp intake of breath."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We need to give young criminals a **short, sharp shock** *(= a punishment that is very unpleasant for a short time)*."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "clear and definite",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a sharp outline"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The photograph is not very sharp *(= there are no clear contrasts between areas of light and shade)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She drew a sharp distinction between domestic and international politics."
                },
                {
                    "text": "In **sharp contrast** to her mood, the clouds were breaking up to reveal a blue sky."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The issue must be brought into **sharper focus**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The image looks very sharp and nicely detailed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The picture is surprisingly sharp and clear."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The sky was dark, with only the outlines of dockside warehouses standing sharp on the skyline."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "feel", "look"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"],
                "phrases": ["as sharp as a razor"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "quick to notice or understand things or to react",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to have sharp eyes"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a girl of sharp intelligence"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a sharp sense of humour"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He kept a sharp lookout for any strangers."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was very sharp of you to see that!"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her mind was as sharp as a razor."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Personal qualities"],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "seem", "stay"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "critical or severe",
            "sensetop": "sharp with somebody",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "sharp criticism"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Emma has a **sharp tongue** *(= she often speaks in an unpleasant or unkind way)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was very sharp with me when I was late.",
                    "contextForm": "sharp with somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her voice sounded rather sharp."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He has been exchanging sharp words with his architect."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "sound"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"],
                "preposition": ["with"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "loud, sudden and often high in tone",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She read out the list in sharp, clipped tones."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There was a sharp knock on the door."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "very strong and sudden, often like being cut or badly hurt",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He winced as a sharp pain shot through his leg."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Polly felt a sharp pang of jealousy."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "intense"
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "changing direction suddenly",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a sharp bend in the road"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a sharp turn to the left"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 9,
            "definition": "strong and slightly bitter",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The cheese has a distinctively sharp taste."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Raw cranberries are extremely sharp and must always be cooked with a little sugar."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The air had a sharp sooty smell."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 10,
            "definition": "used to describe a very cold or very severe frost or wind",
            "examples": [],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "sound"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"],
                "preposition": ["with"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 11,
            "definition": "clever but possibly dishonest",
            "labels": "(disapproving)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "His lawyer's a **sharp operator**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The firm had to face some **sharp practice** from competing companies."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 12,
            "definition": "fashionable and new",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The consultants were a group of men in **sharp suits**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Todd is a **sharp dresser**."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Clothes and Fashion"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 13,
            "definition": "not full or round in shape",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a man with a thin face and sharp features *(= a pointed nose and chin)*"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 14,
            "definition": "used after the name of a note to mean a note a semitone higher",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the Piano Sonata in C sharp minor"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Music"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 15,
            "definition": "above the correct pitch (= how high or low a note sounds)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "That note sounded sharp."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "not intelligent",
            "labels": "(informal, humorous)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He's not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, is he?"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "the place or position of greatest difficulty or responsibility",
            "labels": "(British English, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He started work at the sharp end of the business, as a salesman."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ʃɑːp/",
                "audio": "sh/sharp/sharp__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ʃɑːrp/",
                "audio": "sh/sharp/sharp__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English sc(e)arp, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch scherp and German scharf."
}