Part 306

Sharp"er (?), n. A person who bargains closely, especially, one who cheats in bargains; a swinder; also, a cheating gamester.

Sharpers, as pikes, prey upon their own kind.

L'Estrange.

Syn. -- Swindler; cheat; deceiver; trickster; rogue. See Swindler.

Sharp"ie (?), n. (Naut.) A long, sharp, flat-bottomed boat, with one or two masts carrying a triangular sail. They are often called Fair Haven sharpies, after the place on the coast of Connecticut where they originated. [Local, U.S.]

Sharp"ling (?), n. (Zoöl.) A stickleback. [Prov. Eng.]

Sharp"ly, adv. In a sharp manner,; keenly; acutely.

They are more sharply to be chastised and reformed than the rude Irish.

Spenser.

The soldiers were sharply assailed with wants.

Hayward.

You contract your eye when you would see sharply.

Bacon.

Sharp"ness, n. [AS. scearpness.] The quality or condition of being sharp; keenness; acuteness.

Sharp"saw` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The great titmouse; -- so called from its harsh call notes. [Prov. Eng.]

Sharp"-set` (?), a. Eager in appetite or desire of gratification; affected by keen hunger; ravenous; as, an eagle or a lion sharp-set.

The town is sharp-set on new plays.

Pope.

Sharp"shoot`er (?), n. One skilled in shooting at an object with exactness; a good marksman.

Sharp"shoot`ing, n. A shooting with great precision and effect; hence, a keen contest of wit or argument.

Sharp"-sight`ed (?), a. Having quick or acute sight; -- used literally and figuratively. -- Sharp`-sight`ed*ness, n.

Sharp"tail` (?), n. (Zoöl.) (a) The pintail duck. (b) The pintail grouse, or prairie chicken.

Sharp"-wit`ted (?), a. Having an acute or nicely discerning mind.

Shash (?), n. [See Sash.] 1. The scarf of a turban. [Obs.] Fuller.

2. A sash. [Obs.]

{ ||Shas"ter (?), ||Shas"tra (?), } n. [Skr. cstra an order or command, a sacred book, fr. cs to order, instruct, govern. Cf. Sastra.] A treatise for authoritative instruction among the Hindoos; a book of institutes; especially, a treatise explaining the Vedas. [Written also sastra.]

Shath"mont (&?;), n. A shaftment. [Scot.]

Shat"ter (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shattered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Shattering.] [OE. schateren, scateren, to scatter, to dash, AS. scateran; cf. D. schateren to crack, to make a great noise, OD. schetteren to scatter, to burst, to crack. Cf. Scatter.] 1. To break at once into many pieces; to dash, burst, or part violently into fragments; to rend into splinters; as, an explosion shatters a rock or a bomb; too much steam shatters a boiler; an oak is shattered by lightning.