different between sharp vs pretty
sharp
English
Etymology
From Middle English scharp, from Old English s?earp, from Proto-Germanic *skarpaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kerb-. Cognate with West Frisian skerp, Low German scharp, Dutch scherp, German scharf, Danish skarp. Compare Irish cearb (“keen; cutting”), Latin acerbus (“tart, bitter”), Tocharian B kärpye (“rough”), Latvian skârbs (“sharp, rough”), Russian ????? (š?erba, “notch”), Polish szczerba (“gap, dent, jag, chip, nick, notch”), Albanian harb (“rudeness”), from *(s)ker- (“to cut”). More at shear.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /???p/
- (General American) IPA(key): /???p/
- Rhymes: -??(?)p
Adjective
sharp (comparative sharper, superlative sharpest)
- Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut easily; not obtuse or rounded.
- (colloquial) Intelligent.
- (music) Higher than usual by one semitone (denoted by the symbol ? after the name of the note).
- (music) Higher in pitch than required.
- Having an intense, acrid flavour.
- Sudden and intense.
- She wakened in sharp panic, bewildered by the grotesquerie of some half-remembered dream in contrast with the harshness of inclement fact.
- (colloquial) Illegal or dishonest.
- (colloquial) Keenly or unduly attentive to one's own interests; shrewd.
- Exact, precise, accurate; keen.
- Offensive, critical, or acrimonious.
- (colloquial) Stylish or attractive.
- Observant; alert; acute.
- Forming a small angle; especially, forming an angle of less than ninety degrees.
- 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I,
- The street down which Warwick had come intersected Front Street at a sharp angle in front of the old hotel, forming a sort of flatiron block at the junction, known as Liberty Point
- 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I,
- Steep; precipitous; abrupt.
- (mathematics, of a statement) Said of as extreme a value as possible.
- (chess) Tactical; risky.
- 1963, Max Euwe, Chess Master Vs. Chess Amateur (page xviii)
- Time and time again, the amateur player has lost the opportunity to make the really best move because he felt bound to follow some chess "rule" he had learned, rather than to make the sharp move which was indicated by the position.
- 1975, Lud?k Pachman, Decisive Games in Chess History (page 64)
- In such situations most chess players choose the obvious and logical way: they go in for sharp play. However, not everyone is a natural attacking player […]
- 1963, Max Euwe, Chess Master Vs. Chess Amateur (page xviii)
- Piercing; keen; severe; painful.
- Eager or keen in pursuit; impatient for gratification.
- (obsolete) Fierce; ardent; fiery; violent; impetuous.
- Composed of hard, angular grains; gritty.
- (phonetics, dated) Uttered in a whisper, or with the breath alone; aspirated; unvoiced.
- (obsolete) Hungry.
- 1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, II.iii.1:
- “[W]hy this last week we ha'n't had nothing at all but some dry musty red herrings; so you may think, Miss, we're kept pretty sharp!”
- 1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, II.iii.1:
Synonyms
- (able to cut easily): keen, razor, razor-sharp
- (intelligent): brainy, bright, intelligent, keen, smart, witty
- (able to pierce easily): pointed
- (having an intense and acrid flavour): acrid, pungent
- (sudden and intense): abrupt, acute, stabbing
- (illegal, dishonest): dishonest, dodgy, illegal, illicit, underhand
- (accurate): accurate, exact, keen, precise
- (critical): acrimonious, bitter, cutting, harsh, hostile, nasty
- (stylish, attractive): chic, elegant, smart, stylish
- (observant): acute, alert, keen, observant, sharp-eyed
Antonyms
- (able to cut easily): blunt, dull
- (intelligent): dim, dim-witted, slow, slow-witted, thick
- (able to pierce easily): blunt
- (higher than usual by one semitone): flat
- (music: higher in pitch than required): flat
- (having an intense and acrid flavour): bland, insipid, tasteless
- (sudden and intense): dull
- (illegal, dishonest): above-board, honest, legit, legitimate, reputable
- (accurate): inaccurate, imprecise
- (critical): complimentary, flattering, friendly, kind, nice
- (stylish, attractive): inelegant, scruffy, shabby
- (observant): unobservant
Derived terms
Translations
Adverb
sharp (comparative sharper, superlative sharpest)
- To a point or edge; piercingly; eagerly; sharply.
- 1853, Matthew Arnold, Sohrab and Rustum
- The iron plates rang sharp, but turn'd the spear
- 1853, Matthew Arnold, Sohrab and Rustum
- (not comparable) Exactly.
- (music) In a higher pitch than is correct or desirable.
Synonyms
- (exactly): exactly, on the dot (of time), precisely; see also Thesaurus:exactly
Translations
Noun
sharp (plural sharps)
- (music) 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.
- (music) A note that is played a semitone higher than usual; denoted by the name of the note that is followed by the symbol ?.
- (music) A note that is sharp in a particular key.
- (music) The scale having a particular sharp note as its tonic.
- (usually in the plural) Something that is sharp.
- (medicine) A hypodermic syringe.
- (medicine, dated) A scalpel or other edged instrument used in surgery.
- A sharp tool or weapon.
- c. 1700 Jeremy Collier, On Duelling
- If butchers had but the manners to go to sharps, gentlemen would be contented with a rubber at cuffs.
- A dishonest person; a cheater.
- This usage is often classified as variant spelling of shark, and unrelated to the 'pointed' or 'cutting' meanings of sharp.
- Part of a stream where the water runs very rapidly.
- 1858, Charles Kingsley, "Chalk Stream Studies", in Fraser's Magazine
- here are good fish to be picked out of sharps and stop-holes into the water-tables
- 1858, Charles Kingsley, "Chalk Stream Studies", in Fraser's Magazine
- A sewing needle with a very slender point, more pointed than a blunt or a between.
- (in the plural) Fine particles of husk mixed with coarse particle of flour of cereals; middlings.
- 1954, Barbara Comyns, Who Was Changed And Who Was Dead, Dorothy 2010, p. 21:
- While he worked he talked to his ducks, who were waddling about hopefully, as it was almost time for the red bucket to be filled with sharps and potato-peelings.
- 1954, Barbara Comyns, Who Was Changed And Who Was Dead, Dorothy 2010, p. 21:
- (slang, dated) An expert.
- A sharpie (member of Australian gangs of the 1960s and 1970s).
Derived terms
- cardsharp, card sharp
- double sharp
Translations
See also
- (music) accidental, flat, natural
- ?
Verb
sharp (third-person singular simple present sharps, present participle sharping, simple past and past participle sharped)
- (music) To raise the pitch of a note half a step making a natural note a sharp.
- To play tricks in bargaining; to act the sharper.
- (transitive, obsolete) To sharpen.
Translations
References
- sharp at OneLook Dictionary Search
- sharp in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Anagrams
- Spahr, harps, shrap
sharp From the web:
- what sharps are in a major
- what sharps are in d major
- what sharpens iron
- what sharps are in e major
- what sharps are in g major
- what sharps are in b major
- what sharpens a knife
- what sharpness setting for monitor
pretty
English
Alternative forms
- pooty, purdy (nonstandard)
- pratty (dialectal)
- prettie, pretie (obsolete)
Etymology
From Middle English prety, preti, praty, prati, from Old English prætti? (“tricky, crafty, sly, cunning, wily, astute”), from Proto-Germanic *prattugaz (“boastful, sly, slick, deceitful, tricky, cunning”), corresponding to prat (“trick”) +? -y. Cognate with Dutch prettig (“nice, pleasant”), Low German prettig (“funny”), Icelandic prettugur (“deceitful, tricky”). For the sense-development, compare canny, clever, cute.
Pronunciation
- (UK, US) IPA(key): /?p??ti/
- (US, dialectal) IPA(key): /?p?ti/
- (US, rare) IPA(key): /?p??ti/
- Rhymes: -?ti
Adjective
pretty (comparative prettier, superlative prettiest)
- Pleasant to the sight or other senses; attractive, especially of women or children, but less strikingly than something beautiful. [from 15th c.]
- 2010, Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 4 Feb 2010:
- To escape a violent beating from sailors to whom he has sold a non-functioning car, Jerry takes his stepfamily for a holiday in a trailer park miles away, where, miraculously, young Nick meets a very pretty young woman called Sheeni, played by Portia Doubleday.
- 2010, Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 4 Feb 2010:
- Of objects or things: nice-looking, appealing. [from 15th c.]
- 2010, Lia Leendertz, The Guardian, 13 Feb 2010:
- 'Petit Posy' brassicas […] are a cross between kale and brussels sprouts, and are really very pretty with a mild, sweet taste.
- 2010, Lia Leendertz, The Guardian, 13 Feb 2010:
- (often derogatory) Fine-looking; only superficially attractive; initially appealing but having little substance; see petty. [from 15th c.]
- 1962, "New Life for the Liberals", Time, 28 Sep 1962:
- Damned by the Socialists as "traitors to the working class," its leaders were decried by Tories as "faceless peddlers of politics with a pretty little trinket for every taste."
- 1962, "New Life for the Liberals", Time, 28 Sep 1962:
- Cunning; clever, skilful. [from 9th c.]
- (dated) Moderately large; considerable. [from 15th c.]
- 2004, "Because They're Worth it", Time, 26 Jan 04:
- "What did you do to your hair?" The answer could be worth a pretty penny for L'Oreal.
- 2004, "Because They're Worth it", Time, 26 Jan 04:
- (dated) Excellent, commendable, pleasing; fitting or proper (of actions, thoughts etc.). [from 16th c.]
- 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, Boston 1867, page 75:
- Some people are surprised, I believe, that that the eldest was not [named after his father], but Isabella would have him named Henry, which I thought very pretty of her.
- 1919, Saki, ‘The Oversight’, The Toys of Peace:
- ‘This new fashion of introducing the candidate's children into an election contest is a pretty one,’ said Mrs. Panstreppon; ‘it takes away something from the acerbity of party warfare, and it makes an interesting experience for the children to look back on in after years.’
- 1926, Ernest Hemingway, The sun also rises, page 251:
- "Oh, Jake." Brett said, "we could have had such a damned good time together." Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly pressing Brett against me. "Yes", I said. "Isn't it pretty to think so?"
- 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, Boston 1867, page 75:
- (ironic) Awkward, unpleasant. [from 16th c.]
- 1931, "Done to a Turn", Time, 26 Jan 1931:
- His sadistic self-torturings finally landed him in a pretty mess: still completely married, practically sure he was in love with Tillie, he made dishonorable proposals of marriage to two other women.
- 1877 "Black Beauty", Anna Sewell
- A pretty thing it would be if a man of business had to examine every cab-horse before he hired it
- 1931, "Done to a Turn", Time, 26 Jan 1931:
Antonyms
- ugly
Derived terms
Translations
Further reading
- Pretty in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)
Adverb
pretty (not comparable)
- Somewhat, fairly, quite; sometimes also (by meiosis) very.
- 1723, Charles Walker, Memoirs of Sally Salisbury, V:
- By the Sheets you have sent me to peruse, the Account you have given of her Birth and Parentage is pretty exact [...].
- 1859, Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species, I:
- It seems pretty clear that organic beings must be exposed during several generations to the new conditions of life to cause any appreciable amount of variation [...].
- 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, page 539:
- The Revolutionary decade was a pretty challenging time for business.
- 1723, Charles Walker, Memoirs of Sally Salisbury, V:
- (dialect) Prettily, in a pretty manner.
Usage notes
- When particularly stressed, the adverb pretty serves almost to diminish the adjective or adverb that it modifies, by emphasizing that there are greater levels of intensity.
Derived terms
- pretty much
- pretty well
Translations
Noun
pretty (plural pretties)
- A pretty person; a term of address to a pretty person.
- 1939, Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf, The Wizard of Oz
- I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!
- 1939, Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf, The Wizard of Oz
- Something that is pretty.
- We'll stop at the knife store and look at the sharp pretties.
Verb
pretty (third-person singular simple present pretties, present participle prettying, simple past and past participle prettied)
- To make pretty; to beautify
Derived terms
- pretty up
Anagrams
- Pettry
pretty From the web:
- what pretty little liars character am i
- what pretty pants in spanish
- what pretty means
- what pretty grass in spanish
- what pretty eyes you have
- what pretty little liars
- what pretty oracles nature yields
- what pretty boy means
you may also like
- sharp vs pretty
- reform vs ameliorate
- inextricable vs tricky
- spiritual vs holy
- unsavoury vs forbidding
- leg vs feeder
- fight vs encounter
- miscalculation vs misconception
- earnest vs resolute
- usurp vs pilfer
- intelligence vs grasp
- ridiculous vs inane
- glorious vs rapturous
- impressiveness vs eminence
- establishment vs generation
- retainer vs flunkey
- guidance vs organisation
- exhilarated vs vociferous
- fight vs tournament
- motionless vs balmy