12 → see also lion's share , market share , power-sharing
▸ share in PHRASAL VERB If you share in something such as a success or a responsibility, you are one of a number of people who achieve or accept it. □ [V P n] The company is offering you the chance to share in its success.
▸ share out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you share out an amount of something, you give each person in a group an equal or fair part of it. □ [V n P ] I drain the pasta, then I share it out between two plates. □ [V P n] The company will share out $1.3 billion among 500,000 policyholders.
2 → see also share-out
sha re capi|tal N‑UNCOUNT A company's share capital is the money that shareholders invest in order to start or expand the business. [BUSINESS ] □ [+ of ] The bank has a share capital of almost 100 million dollars.
share|crop|per /ʃeə r krɒpə r / (sharecroppers ) N‑COUNT A sharecropper is a farmer who pays the rent for his land with some of the crops they produce.
share|holder ◆◇◇ /ʃeə r hoʊldə r / (shareholders ) N‑COUNT A shareholder is a person who owns shares in a company. [BUSINESS ] □ …a shareholders' meeting.
share|holding /ʃeə r hoʊld I ŋ/ (shareholdings ) N‑COUNT If you have a shareholding in a company, you own some of its shares. [BUSINESS ]
sha re in|dex (share indices or share indexes ) N‑COUNT A share index is a number that indicates the state of a stock market. It is based on the combined share prices of a set of companies. [BUSINESS ] □ The FT 30 share index was up 16.4 points to 1,599.6.
sha re is|sue (share issues ) N‑COUNT When there is a share issue , shares in a company are made available for people to buy. [BUSINESS ]
sha re op|tion (share options ) N‑COUNT A share option is an opportunity for the employees of a company to buy shares at a special price. [BRIT , BUSINESS ] □ Only a handful of firms offer share option schemes to all their employees. in AM use stock option
sha re-out (share-outs ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] If there is a share-out of something, several people are given equal or fair parts of it. □ [+ of ] …the share-out of seats in the transitional government.
sha re shop (share shops ) N‑COUNT A share shop is a shop or internet website where members of the public can buy shares in companies. [BUSINESS ]
share|ware /ʃeə r weə r / N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Shareware is computer software that you can try before deciding whether or not to buy the legal right to use it. [COMPUTING ] □ …a shareware program.
sha r|ing eco no|my N‑SING The sharing economy is a system in which people offer the use of their skills or things they own, using the internet. □ The sharing economy allows people to make money from their possessions by renting them out when they aren't using them.
shark /ʃɑː r k/ (sharks ) The form shark can also be used as the plural form for meaning 1 . 1 N‑VAR A shark is a very large fish. Some sharks have very sharp teeth and may attack people.
2 N‑COUNT If you refer to a person as a shark , you disapprove of them because they trick people out of their money by giving bad advice about buying, selling, or investments. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Beware the sharks when you are making up your mind how to invest.
3 → see also loan shark
sharp ◆◆◇ /ʃɑː r p/ (sharps , sharper , sharpest )
1 ADJ A sharp point or edge is very thin and can cut through things very easily. A sharp knife, tool, or other object has a point or edge of this kind. □ The other end of the twig is sharpened into a sharp point to use as a toothpick. □ Using a sharp knife, cut away the pith and peel from both fruits.
2 ADJ You can describe a shape or an object as sharp if part of it or one end of it comes to a point or forms an angle. □ His nose was thin and sharp.
3 ADJ A sharp bend or turn is one that changes direction suddenly. □ I was approaching a fairly sharp bend that swept downhill to the left. ● ADV [ADV adv] Sharp is also an adverb. □ Do not cross the bridge but turn sharp left to go down on to the towpath. ● sharp|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ Room number nine was at the far end of the corridor where it turned sharply to the right.
4 ADJ If you describe someone as sharp , you are praising them because they are quick to notice, hear, understand, or react to things. [APPROVAL ] □ He is very sharp, a quick thinker and swift with repartee.
5 ADJ If someone says something in a sharp way, they say it suddenly and rather firmly or angrily, for example because they are warning or criticizing you. □ That ruling had drawn sharp criticism from civil rights groups. ● sharp|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ 'You've known,' she said sharply, 'and you didn't tell me?'
6 ADJ A sharp change, movement, or feeling occurs suddenly, and is great in amount, force, or degree. □ There's been a sharp rise in the rate of inflation. □ He felt a sharp pain in the abductor muscle in his right thigh. ● sharp|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ Unemployment among the over-forties has risen sharply in recent years.
7 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A sharp difference, image, or sound is very easy to see, hear, or distinguish. □ Many people make a sharp distinction between humans and other animals. □ We heard a voice sing out in a clear, sharp tone. ● sharp|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ Opinions on this are sharply divided.
8 ADJ A sharp taste or smell is rather strong or bitter, but is often also clear and fresh. □ …a colourless, almost odourless liquid with a sharp, sweetish taste.