Dictionary

sharpness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English sharpnesse, scharpnesse, from Old English sċearpnes (“sharpness”), equivalent to sharp + -ness.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) the cutting ability of an edge; keenness.
2. (uncountable) the fineness of the point a pointed object.
3. (countable) The product or result of being sharp.
   • The first thing that strikes the stranger is the sharpness of the curves on the metre gauge; it is not unusual for a long train to be travelling in three directions at once, and the engine is frequently in full view of the windows of the ninth or tenth carriage. 1950 April 14, Timothy H. Cobb, “The Kenya-Uganda Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 263:
4. (countable, of food etc, uncountable) pungency or acidity.
5. (countable, of an image, uncountable) distinctness, focus.
6. (countable, of intelligence, uncountable) acuteness or acuity.
   • Mrs. PAGE is gifted with a pleasing voice, which is yet imperfectly weeded of certain sharpnesses, but seems susceptible of a wide range of melodious inflection. 1861 June 14, “Amusements.”, in The New York Times:
   • A lack of match sharpness was perhaps to blame for Rooney squandering England's best chance after 27 minutes. 2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport:
7. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) edge or blade
   • also thei smytiden bi the scharpnesse of swerd, oxun, and scheep, and assis. ca. 1395, John Wycliffe et al., Joshua 6:21:
   • CUT-WATER, or KNEE OF THE HEAD [S.] the ſharpneſs of the head of the ſhip, below the beak; 1760, John Marchant, Gent. Mr. Gordon, Daniel Bellamy, and others., A New Complete English Dictionary...:

Forms

Relateds

acutance (of an image)

Synonyms

pungency (pungency, acidity) · acuity (of intelligence) · acidity (pungency, acidity) · acuteness (of intelligence) · clarity (of an image) · piquancy (pungency, acidity) · distinctness (of an image) · sourness (pungency, acidity) · acridity (pungency, acidity) · keenness (cutting ability of an edge) · focus (of an image)

Translations (57)

nb skarphet (cutting ability of an edge) · ru чёткость (of an image) · fi terävyys (cutting ability of an edge) · eo akro (pungency, acidity) · ta கூர்மை (cutting ability of an edge) · fr acuité (fineness of a point) · eo akreco (cutting ability of an edge) · de Schärfe (of an image) · ta கூர்மை (fineness of a point) · fr acidité (pungency, acidity) · tt очлылык (fineness of a point) · ta கூர்மை (of intelligence) · ca agudesa (cutting ability of an edge) · nl gescherptheid (fineness of a point) · ml മൂർച്ച (cutting ability of an edge) · nl scherpte (fineness of a point) · eo acideco (pungency, acidity) · eo akro (cutting ability of an edge) · de Schärfe (cutting ability of an edge) · ru острота́ (fineness of a point) · eo akreco (pungency, acidity) · nl scherpheid (cutting ability of an edge) · de Bildschärfe (of an image) · ota كسكینلك (cutting ability of an edge) · ga aichre (cutting ability of an edge) · es agudeza (cutting ability of an edge) · bg съобразителност (of intelligence) · eo akreco (fineness of a point) · tt үткенлек (cutting ability of an edge) · nb skarphet (of an image) · fr fil (cutting ability of an edge) · fr netteté (of an image) · fi terävyys (fineness of a point) · fi tarkkuus (of intelligence) · hu élesség (cutting ability of an edge) · ta தெளிவு (of an image) · fi kirpeys (pungency, acidity) · ru острота́ (cutting ability of an edge) · te పదును (cutting ability of an edge) · eo akro (fineness of a point) · grc ὀξύτης (cutting ability of an edge) · vi độ nét (of an image) · tt әчелек (pungency, acidity) · ta உறைப்பு (pungency, acidity) · nl scherpte (pungency, acidity) · sv skärpa (cutting ability of an edge) · nl scherpte (of an image) · fr tranchant (of intelligence) · fr acuité (of intelligence) · ru ре́зкость (of an image) · fr tranchant (cutting ability of an edge) · la aciēs (cutting ability of an edge) · bg рязкост (cutting ability of an edge) · fi terävyys (of an image) · as ধাৰ (cutting ability of an edge) · grc ὀξύτης (of intelligence) · fr finesse (fineness of a point)