scearp

• sċærp, sċarp

From Proto-West Germanic *skarp, from Proto-Germanic *skarpaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kerb-, from *(s)ker- (“to cut”).

Cognate with Old Frisian skarp, skerp, Old Saxon skarp, Old Dutch skarp, Old High German scarf, Old Norse skarpr.

• IPA^(key): /ʃæ͜ɑrp/, [ʃæ͜ɑrˠp]

sċearp (comparative sċearpre, superlative sċearpest)

1. sharp
   • late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans

     ⁊ hæfdon ġeleornad mā cræfta hū hīe þā elpendas beswīcan mehton, mid þǣm þæt hīe nāmon trēowu, ⁊ slōgon on oþerne ende moniġe sċearpe īsene næġlas, ⁊ hīe mid flexe bewundon, ⁊ onbǣrndon hit, ⁊ beþyddan hit þonne on þone elpend hindan...

     And they had learned more tricks through which they could ensnare the elephants; they took stakes and drove into the other end many sharp iron nails, and wrapped them in flax, and set them on fire, and then thrust them into the elephant from behind...

• sċearpian
• sċearpung
• sċierpan

• Middle English: scharp
  • English: sharp
  • Scots: sharp, scharp