sharplyadv.
/ˈʃɑːpli/, U.S. /ˈʃɑrpli/ In a sharp manner.
1. Severely, sternly, harshly.
a. Of punishment, discipline, etc. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > strictness > [adverb] > strictly or severely of rules, judgement, or discipline
sharplyc900
fasteOE
straitlya1340
severely1548
sickerly1596
severe1599
strictly1602
the world > action or operation > manner of action > violent action or operation > severity > [adverb]
heavilyc897
sharplyc900
hardeOE
sharpc1000
sorec1000
hardlyOE
etelichec1175
sorelyc1275
straita1300
sourc1300
grievously1303
drearilya1400
foullya1400
felly?c1400
snapelyc1420
durely1477
penallya1500
shrewlya1529
shrewdlyc1533
asperously1547
heinouslya1555
sensibly1613
instantly1638
shrowardly1664
severelya1682
atrociously1765
punishingly1839
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > harshness or severity > [adverb]
sternlyc897
sharplyc900
stitha1000
hardlyOE
starklyOE
sterna1175
stithlya1300
hardilyc1300
ruggedlya1382
austerely?a1400
smartlya1400
unsternlya1400
acerbly?a1425
brussly1481
sore1484
shrewdly1490
dourlya1500
severely1548
roundly1567
severe1599
strictly1602
fiercely1611
Draconically1641
rugged1661
c900 Bede Glosses in Old Eng. Texts 181/47 Acerbatim, scearplice.
c1380 J. Wyclif Wks. (1880) 67 In tokene þat he scharpliest schal ponysche hem þat don symonye.
1415 T. Hoccleve To Sir J. Oldcastle 278 Yee heretikes..I doute it nat, your wages shal be payed sharply, but yee correct your trespas.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. DDv The body must be entreated sharpely, yt it waxe not wanton and wylde.
1557 Bible (Whittingham) Matt. xxii. 6 And the remnant toke his seruantes, and intreated them sharpely.
1677 J. Leverett in Jrnl. Friends' Hist. Soc. (1912) July 134 [The Lord] was pleased to lay his hand so sharply upon me by fits of the stone in a time of great business.
b. Of speech, rebuke, command: Sternly, severely, harshly, peremptorily; in cutting terms; in stern or angry tones.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > manifestation of anger > [adverb] > angrily (of speech)
sharply1340
savagely1563
virulently1599
society > authority > strictness > [adverb] > severely or sternly > of speech or tone
sharply1340
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > harshness or severity > [adverb] > specifically of utterance
sharply1340
shrewdlyc1386
piquantly1691
1340 R. Rolle Pricke of Conscience 3450 When þou spekes sharppely til þe pure, Þat sum gode askes at þi dore.
c1386 G. Chaucer Parson's Tale ⁋583 Whan a man is sharply amonested in his shrift to leve his sinne.
?c1450 in G. J. Aungier Hist. & Antiq. Syon Monastery (1840) 269 Repreve scharply.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 971 The king wrote sharpely to him to accomplish yt which appertayned to his duety.
1662 E. Stillingfleet Origines Sacræ i. iv. §4. 61 Though he be sharply censured by Strabo.
1829 W. Scott Anne of Geierstein III. ii. 66 ‘By Saint George, never!’ answered the Duke, sharply and shortly.
1870 R. Broughton Red as Rose I. 169 ‘He hates the game’, replies Miss Blessington, rather sharplier than is her wont.
2. With sharp or painful effect; keenly, smartly.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > mental anguish or torment > cause of mental anguish or torment > [adverb]
unsoftOE
sharplya1023
derfly?c1225
derfc1325
pinefullyc1390
anguishouslyc1440
heinouslya1555
tormentingly1575
keenlya1593
cuttingly1611
torturingly?a1625
stingingly1667
severelya1682
piercingly1781
harrowingly1799
excruciatingly1808
martyrly1819
pinchingly1825
crucifyingly1826
torturously1857
woundingly1887
scarifyingly1921
the world > health and disease > ill health > pain > types of pain > [adverb] > smarting or stinging
sharplya1023
smart1624
sharp1635
stingingly1667
smartingly1703
bitingly1874
a1023 Wulfstan Homilies xxix. 141 Se deofol..cwæð..‘stingað hine scearplice on þone muð’.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) ii. 6 It was of iunkes of the see, þat ware whyte and prikked scharpely as thornes.
1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. ciiii Sa woundir scharply he schair The berne that the brand bair.
1602 2nd Pt. Returne fr. Parnassus v. iv. 2162 I wish thee store of gall, Sharpely to wound the guilty world withall.
1724 London Gaz. No. 6240/5 It froze..sharply.
1831 W. Scott Count Robert ix, in Tales of my Landlord 4th Ser. II. 213 Her own well-aimed, but feeble shaft, wounded him [sc. the boar] sharply.
1851 Gladstone in Lathbury Corr. Ch. & Relig. (1910) I. 358 Such griefs..must be sacred to me, even did they not touch me sharply with a reflected sorrow.
1852 W. M. Thackeray Henry Esmond II. i. 11 A fever..which attacked him that night pretty sharply.
1866 C. Kingsley Hereward the Wake I. ii. 97 An arrow struck him sharply in the back.
3. † a. With intellectual acuteness; acutely, sagaciously, shrewdly. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > sharpness, shrewdness, insight > [adverb]
sharplyc897
redlyc1275
wellc1450
finely1538
aptly1578
acutely1600
shrewdly1600
penetratingly1670
sagaciously1678
penetratively1697
cutely1762
keenly1824
downily1845
percipiently1924
insightfully1932
sharp-wittedly1934
c897 K. Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care xi. 68 Ða þe meahton smealice & scearplice mid hiera ondgiete ryht gesion.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Prol. 58 Men miȝten expoune..the bible in English,..myche sharpliere and groundliere than manie late postillatouris.
a1525 (c1448) R. Holland Bk. Howlat l. 268 in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1925) II. 103 Mony allegiance leile in leid nocht to layne It Off arestotill and ald men scharplie yai schewe.
1621 S. Ward Happinesse of Pract. (1627) 10 His scope sure was not to make trial of the wits of men, who could sharpliest conceiue.
1699 R. Bentley Diss. Epist. Phalaris (new ed.) 497 Who can deny now, but this is sharply observ'd?
b. Attentively, with penetration and keen observation; vigilantly, closely.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > attention > [adverb]
carefullya1000
wellOE
sharplyc1055
tentivelya1375
viselyc1380
mindfullya1382
attentively1382
tentily?a1400
tentlya1400
intentfullyc1410
tendably?c1450
advisedly1481
heedely1548
respectively1556
heedfully1561
attently1562
gardantly1574
heedily1577
markinglya1586
regardfully1600
regardively1602
intensively1637
cautionarily1758
observantly1817
c1055 Byrhtferth's Handboc in Anglia (1885) 8 309 & hawa swyðe scearplice hwær sy .xii. kl' aprelis.
a1340 R. Rolle Psalter lxiii. 6 Þe sharpliere þat þai thynke, þe mare þai faile fra sothfastnes.
c1420 Wars Alex. (prose) (E.E.T.S.) 40 Alexander..biheld þe Phisician in þe vesage riȝte scharpely.
1582 R. Stanyhurst tr. Virgil First Foure Bookes Æneis i. 13 Æneas..thee towne top sharplye beholding.
1666 S. Pepys Diary 16 Dec. (1972) VII. 409 This Committee of Accounts will enquire sharply into our office.
1869 H. F. Tozer Res. Highlands of Turkey II. 191 A salutary hint as to..the benefit of being tolerably sharply on the look out.
a1878 B. Taylor Stud. German Lit. (1879) 144 Their business was to listen sharply.
4.
a. Briskly, swiftly, quickly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > [adverb] > swiftly and briskly
sharplya1000
smartc1300
smartlyc1300
spackc1330
wightlyc1330
spacklya1350
swipperly?a1400
wighta1400
nimblyc1450
quiverly1519
roundly1548
nimble1568
bragly1579
snap1583
yarelya1616
briskly1665
smartish1839
nippily1932
snappingly1976
a1000 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 226/33 Efficaciter, i. uelociter, caflice, scearplice.
1338 R. Mannyng Chron. (1725) 244 To Wales he went his way fulle scharply, & fulle brim.
c1400 Brut (1906) 283 Þe Scottis..come fast and sharpely aȝeynes evesong tyme.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 426 The Englishe men shot so closely and so sharpely together, that the Flemynges and footemen began to flie.
1694 J. Clayton in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 18 121 They Ride pretty sharply.
1744 T. Short in Philos. Trans. 1740–41 (Royal Soc.) 41 628 It went all over this Country from North to South, pretty sharply, but nothing near so quick as a Glade of Lightning.
1829 W. Scott Anne of Geierstein II. vii. 197 [He] drew in his head, and shut the window sharply against the guest.
1859 Ld. Tennyson Enid in Idylls of King 11 Geraint.., Made sharply to the dwarf, and ask'd it of him.
1912 Times 19 Dec. 19/6 Prices soon recovered and advanced sharply in the afternoon.
b. Of conflict or attack: Eagerly, vigorously.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [adverb]
hardlyeOE
strongeOE
hardOE
fastOE
starklyOE
stalworthlyc1175
starkc1225
mainlyc1300
fellc1330
snellc1330
stout1338
wightlya1340
sadlya1375
sharplyc1380
tough1398
stoutly1399
throa1400
wighta1400
lustilyc1400
sorec1400
vigourslyc1400
stiff1422
vigoriouslya1450
vigorouslya1450
actuallya1470
stourlyc1480
forcely?a1500
lustly1529
fricklyc1540
dingilya1555
livelily?1565
crankly1566
forcibly1578
crank1579
wightily?a1600
proudly1600
energetically1609
stiffly1623
ding-dong1628
greenly1633
hard and fast1646
slashingly1659
thwackingly1660
warmlya1684
robustly1709
sonsily1729
forcefullya1774
vim1843
zippily1924
vibrantly1926
punchily1934
zingily1951
c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) l. 724 Al so scharply þes men of mayn þan smyte to-gadre aȝy.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Lament. iii. 52 Myne enemies hunted me out sharpely like a byrde.
1678 N. Wanley Wonders Little World v. ii. §82. 478/2 Solyman..sharply besieged and assaulted Vienna.
1737 W. Whiston tr. Josephus Antiq. Jews xiv. xv, in tr. Josephus Genuine Wks. 466 He pursued them sharply, and killed them.
c. Abruptly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > [adverb] > suddenly
in a widden-dreamOE
a sursaut1338
at a wapa1400
in a swing1487
on or upon a (or the) sudden1558
at a (orthe) sudden1562
in a sudden1562
of a sudden1570
short1579
overshort1587
on the starta1616
slap1672
swap1672
bob1673
souse1680
sharply1828
sharp1836
a-sudden1871
1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth viii, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 203 Some of them [sc. the blows] lighted upon Jezabel, who, turning sharply round, laid her rider upon the moor.
1889 A. C. Gunter That Frenchman! i. 9 ‘Which, by the by, isn't his right name,’ remarks de Verney, sharply closing his speech.
5. With a sharp edge or point; at or with an acute angle.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > sharpness of edge or point > [adverb]
sharpc1000
sharplyc1400
keenlya1593
sheerly1813
the world > space > shape > angularity > [adverb] > with an acute angle
sharply1567
c1400 Rom. Rose 1723 He took an arowe ful sharply whet.
1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest f. 47v It is like that figure which the Geometricians call Pyramis, we may say sharpely topped.
1796 W. Withering Arrangem. Brit. Plants (ed. 3) III. 543 Leaves egg~shaped, streaked, sharply toothed.
1827 M. Faraday Chem. Manip. xvi. 417 It is to be bent, not sharply, but obtusely and roundly.
1860 L. Reeve Elem. Conchol. I. 149 Shell.., apex rather sharply acuminated.
6. With a sharp sound.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sharp or hard sound > [adverb]
sharplya1387
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1871) III. 29 Oon of þe goldene calues..lowede ful scharpliche.
1808 W. Scott Marmion vi. xxii. 350 Deep need that day that every string, By wet unharmed, should sharply ring.
1825 W. Scott Talisman v, in Tales Crusaders III. 122 A shrill whistle..was heard to ring sharply through the vaulted chapel.
7. Definitely, distinctly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > visibility > [adverb] > clearly visible > sharply or distinctly
brightlyOE
clearlyc1300
fairc1390
vively1537
bremely1577
in focus1785
sharply1817
trenchantly1873
eidetically1929
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > the quality of being specific > [adverb] > definitely or determinately
certainlyc1460
determinably1487
determinatelya1535
punctually1570
signanter1579
definitely1581
articulately1649
signantly1656
sharply1817
strictly1938
1817 S. T. Coleridge Biographia Literaria II. 156 In no system is the distinction between the individual and God..more sharply drawn than in that of Spinoza.
1874 H. H. Cole Catal. Objects Indian Art S. Kensington Mus. 127 Sharply and well carved decoration.
1893 H. P. Liddon et al. Life E. B. Pusey I. x. 198 This election [Peel v. Inglis] divided men sharply throughout Oxford.
1907 J. A. Hodges Elem. Photogr. (ed. 6) 123 The image having been sharply focussed.
8. Smartly, fashionably.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > wearing clothing > [adverb] > in specific way
to (also into, unto) one's (also the) shirtc1300
in or of (a) suitc1325
in ragsa1350
in (also on) one's shirtc1380
in suit of or with1389
thinlya1400
in suit with1488
finely?1552
raggedly1552
smoothly1579
garish1590
briskly1592
in one's waistcoat1607
in mourning1621
in cuerpoa1640
in gala1757
airily1768
plain1808
in mufti1816
in, on one's stocking-soles1827
seedily1837
in beaver1840
back to front1869
dowdily1887
dossily1903
head-to-toe1946
sharp1951
sharply1965
understatedly1972
1965 V. Canning Whip Hand ii. 15 I was sharply dressed for the part, young man on holiday, well-heeled.
1981 P. Inchbald Tondo for Short vii. 73 He was dressed as sharply as he could manage.
Compounds
C1. Combinations with participles, forming adjectives.
sharply-bitted adj.
ΚΠ
1844 H. G. Robinson Odes of Horace i. viii Why now no more..Does he..with the sharply bitted rein His Gallic courser's mouth restrain?
sharply-chiselled adj.
ΚΠ
1854 tr. H. Hettner Athens & Peloponnese 54 These bold, sharply-chiselled, expressive faces.
sharply-defined adj.
ΚΠ
1865 Visct. Milton & W. B. Cheadle N.-W. Passage by Land (1867) viii. 116 The clear, sharply-defined track of the active mink.
1879 St. George's Hosp. Rep. 9 601 A sharply-defined ulcer.
sharply-discerning adj.
ΚΠ
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. ii. i. 99 A quick, choleric, sharply discerning, stubbornly endeavouring man.
sharply-focussed adj.
ΚΠ
1892 Photogr. Ann. II. 265 A sharply focussed representation of a distant object.
C2. † sharply-conceived adj. and n. Obsolete having a keen, ready wit.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > wit, wittiness > [adjective]
quainta1250
conceitive1579
conceited1583
conceity1589
conceitful1594
wittya1616
sharply-conceived1630
smart1639
mercurial1647
spiritual1701
wittified1742
scintillant1764
witful1765
1630 tr. G. Botero Relations Famous Kingdomes World (rev. ed.) 56 The Italian is more courteous... Sharply conceived, of fresh memory.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adv.c897