subs. (old).—1. A swindler; ‘one that lives by his Witts’ (B. E.); a ROOK (q.v.): the opposite of FLAT (q.v.): also SHARPER: cf. SHARKER (GROSE and VAUX). As verb. = to cheat; SHARPING (or ON THE SHARP) subs. and adj. = swindling; SHARPER’S TOOLS = (1) fools, and (2) false dice (B. E. and GROSE). See BIBLE-SHARP; FLATS-AND-SHARPS.
1688. SHADWELL, The Squire of Alsatia [Works (1720), iv. 18]. ‘Tatts … what’s that?’ ‘The tools of SHARPERS, false dice.’
1690. DRYDEN, Don Sebastian, Epilogue, l. 35.
| All these young SHARPERS would my grace importune. | |
| Ibid. (1691), King Arthur, Prologue, l. 38. | |
| Among the rest there are a SHARPING SET | |
| That pray for us, and yet against us bet. |
1693. CONGREVE, The Old Batchelor. Dramatis Personæ. SHARPER.
1706. CENTLIVRE, The Basset-table, IV. 1. But if he has got the knack of winning thus, he shall SHARP no more here, I promise him.
1729. GAY, Polly, iii. 5. Hac. … Death, Sir, I won’t be cheated. Cul. The money is mine. D’you take me for a SHARPER, Sir?
1748. SMOLLETT, Roderick Random, lviiii. Who supported myself in the appearance of a gentleman by SHARPING and other infamous practices.
1714. T. LUCAS, Memoirs of Gamesters, etc., 250. She would PLAY altogether UPON THE SHARP.
1768. GOLDSMITH, The Good-Natured Man, i. How can I be proud of a place in a heart, where every SHARPER and coxcomb find an easy entrance.
1789. G. PARKER, Life’s Painter, 142. SHARPS … This term is applied to SHARPERS in general.
1821. P. EGAN, Life in London, I. ii.
| From Autumn to Winter, from Winter to June, | |
| The flat and the SHARP must still play the same tune. |
1830. BULWER-LYTTON, Paul Clifford (Ed. 1854), 190. ‘They are both gone ON THE SHARP to-night,’ replied the old lady.
1830. S. WARREN, Diary of a Late Physician, xi. I began to suspect that he was neither more nor less than a systematic London SHARPER—a gamester—a hanger-on about town.
1843. DICKENS, Martin Chuzzlewit, xxxvii. Tom’s evil genius did not … mark him out as the prey of … those bloodless SHARPERS.
1849. MACAULAY, The History of England, xviii. The crowd of pilferers, ring-droppers, and SHARPERS who infested the capital.
1861. A. TROLLOPE, Framley Parsonage, xxxiii. What an ass I have been to be so cozened by a SHARPER.
1872. BESANT and RICE, Ready-Money Mortiboy, xxiv. It is not usual to see men play in your fashion. You have SHARPED us, sir—SHARPED us.’
1886–96. MARSHALL, Beautiful Dreamer [‘Pomes,’ 65]. The SHARPS tipped The Lump, and left Pip in the lurch.
2. (old).—A pointed weapon: a sword as contrasted with a foil.
[?]. Joseph of Arimathie [E.E.T.S.], 17. Mony swouȝninge lay · þorw schindringe of SCHARPE.
1679. BEHN, The Feign’d Curtezans, iii. These dangerous SHARPS I never lov’d.
1697. COLLIER, Essays, ‘Duelling.’ If butchers had but the manners to go to SHARPS, gentlemen would be contented with a rubber at cuffs.
1763. FOOTE, The Mayor of Garratt, ii. Bruin. Why look’e, major Sturgeon, I don’t much care for your poppers and SHARPS.
3. (American).—An expert.
1887. Scientific American, 15 Oct., 249. One entomological SHARP, who is spoken of as good authority, estimates the annual loss … at $300,000,000.
Adj. (B. E., c. 1696, and GROSE). ‘Subtil, ready, quick or nimble-witted, forward, of lively Apprehension; also Poor and Needy.’
Adv. (colloquial).—To the moment: e.g., ‘I’ll be there at five o’clock SHARP.’
1847–8. THACKERAY, Vanity Fair, xxvii. Captain Osborne … will bring him to the … mess at five o’clock SHARP.
MR. SHARP, phr. (traders’).—A similar expression to ‘TWO-PUN-TEN’ (q.v.), to signify that a customer of suspected honesty is about. The shopman asks one of the assistants, in a voice loud enough to be generally heard, ‘Has MR. SHARP come in yet?’ The signal is at once understood, and a general look-out kept (HOTTEN).
SHARP AS THE CORNER OF A ROUND TABLE, phr. (common).—Stupid.
SHARP’S THE WORD! phr. (colloquial).—1. ‘Of anyone very attentive to his own interest, and apt to take all advantage’: sometimes with ‘AND QUICK’S THE MOTION’ (GROSE); also (2) a call to brisk movement, or ready obedience.
1706. VANBRUGH, The Mistake, iii. 1 [Dramatic Works, (HUNT), 1871, 448]. Then SHARP’S THE WORD [i.e., watchword].
1708–10. SWIFT, Polite Conversation, iii. Lady Answ. … They must rise early that would cheat her of her Money; SHARP’S THE WORD with her; Diamonds cut Diamonds.
