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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

sharpish en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English sharp Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-isk Old English -isċ Middle English -isch English -ish English sharpish From sharp + -ish.

Meanings

  1. (informal, not-comparable) Somewhat sharp (sudden, abrupt).
    • On straights speed would quicken to what was apparently the maximum allowed on this stretch, 140 k.p.h., or 87.5 m.p.h., and then one would see the track disappearing ahead round a sharpish curve, for there are some of 35 and 40 chains' radius on this side of the summit as well. 1960 March, G. Freeman Allen, “Europe's most luxurious express - the "Settebello"”, in Trains Illustrated, page 144:
    • The car made a sharpish turn.
  2. (informal, not-comparable) Somewhat sharp; not blunt.
    • a sharpish knife

Deriveds

sharpishly

Translations (4)

ga foghéar (not very sharp but not blunt) · pl ostrawy (not very sharp but not blunt) · pl cierpkawy (not very sharp but not blunt) · mi koikoi (not very sharp but not blunt)

sharpish en · ADV

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English sharp Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-isk Old English -isċ Middle English -isch English -ish English sharpish From sharp + -ish.

Meanings

  1. (informal, not-comparable) Rapidly, soon.
    • Catrin: Don’t fuckin’ look at me you perv… He turns back, sharpish. Scott: Sorry. 2010, Gary Owen, Love Steals Us from Loneliness, London: Bloomsbury Publishing, →DOI, →ISBN, page 12:
    • Packed my valise sharpish, afraid the ship might sail back to England with me still aboard; or rather, afraid of my letting this happen. 2004, David Mitchell, “Letters From Zedelghem”, in Cloud Atlas, →ISBN, page 47:
    • You'd better mend your ways sharpish!