Talk:sharp

RFV discussion: June–July 2019

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sharp

"Able to cut easily". This is not really what sharp means: sharp refers to the shape (narrow, pointed etc.) and not to the ability to cut, which is just an incidental effect of having a narrow pointed edge. The current citations would fit better under "terminating in a point or edge; not obtuse or rounded". Equinox ◑ 17:01, 24 June 2019 (UTC)

Yes, (of an axe, knife etc.) having an edge that enables one to cut something easily. DonnanZ (talk) 17:37, 24 June 2019 (UTC)

Widespread use. We have the other sense as definition 3.

Most other dictionaries have both senses, sometimes subordinating the shape to the function. DCDuring (talk) 20:17, 24 June 2019 (UTC)

Combine the senses: Having the ability to cut, arising from the property of terminating in an edge or point instead of being obtuse or rounded. Or which I like more: Having the property of terminating in an edge or point instead of being obtuse or rounded, resulting in the ability to cut. The senses are one and the same thing. From terminating in an edge arises the ability to cut, also it must be the more edgy the more it cuts. If it is not able to cut then there is no reason to call it sharp, because humans name the properties of things by their uses and their dangers. “Composed of hard, angular grains; gritty” seems also to denote the same concept.

Also I have been surprised by your assertion, @Equinox, that this is not what “sharp” means because it is exactly what the German word scharf means. Has the meaning changed across Germanic? Inconceivable. All glosses using the word “sharp” here would have to be rechecked. But there does not have to be the distinction: the concept that there could be a difference is flawed. Fay Freak (talk) 22:09, 26 June 2019 (UTC)

Fay, "able to cut easily" is somehow a hyponym of "terminating in a point or edge", because any pointy edgy thing can cut easily, but there might be non-pointy things that can also cut (e.g. red-hot metal through human skin). IMO you need to justify having two separate senses for these, and not just one. How else would you decide which sense to put a citation underneath? Well if you're supporting combining the senses then fine. I'm more interested in having a single sense than in whether it's the same sense as Germanic. Things change over time. Look at your mum. Equinox ◑ 09:00, 7 July 2019 (UTC)

I have combined the two senses. RFV-resolved Kiwima (talk) 20:19, 7 July 2019 (UTC)

Irritable or angry

As in a sharp temper. JMGN (talk) 17:26, 8 August 2024 (UTC)