/ʃɑːk/, /ʃɑɹk/
OriginFrom Middle English shark (used by Thomas Beckington in 1442 to refer to a kind of fish), of uncertain origin. Most likely from a semantic extension of the German-derived shark (“scoundrel”), see below. The fish was originally called a dogfish or haye in English and Middle English.
alternative theories
Some older dictionaries derived the word from Latin c(h)archarias, c(h)acharus (from Ancient Greek), but admit that "the requisite [Old French] forms intermediate between E. shark and L. carcharus are not found, and it is not certain that the name [shark] was orig. applied to the fish; it may have been first used of a greedy man".
Other older authorities speculated that the word might derive from Yucatec Maya xok (“fish”) (/ʃok/), as John Hawkins brought a specimen from the area where Mayan was spoken to England in the 1560s. However, the 1442 use rules out a New World origin for the word.
- countableAny predatory fish of the superorder Selachimorpha, with a cartilaginous skeleton and 5 to 7 gill slits on each side of its head.
“The straunge fishe is in length xvij. foote and iij. foote broad, and in compas about the bodie vj. foote; and is round snowted, short headdid, hauing iij. rankes of teeth on either iawe, …. Also it h”
“He said he had spoken to a woman who was kayaking off Catalina Island, California, in 2008 when a shark slammed her kayak from underneath and sent her flying into the air. She then landed on the back ”
- uncountableFlesh of this animal, consumed as food.
- broadly, countable, uncountableAny fish of the class Chondrichthyes, especially an extinct shark-like holocephalian.
“Cladoselache, a well-preserved Devonian shark fossil from Ohio. Here the cartilages and some muscle tissues are preserved intact”
- countable, uncountableAny fish in the genus Epalzeorhynchos.
- countable, uncountableAny fish in the genus Balantiocheilos.
- countable, uncountableAn iridescent shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus).
- countable, uncountableA roseline shark (Dawkinsia denisonii).
- countable, uncountableA paroon shark (Pangasius sanitwongsei).
- countableA noctuid moth of species Cucullia umbratica.
- UK, countableA university student who is not a fresher that has engaged in sexual activity with a fresher; usually habitually and with multiple people.
- Someone who exploits others, for example by trickery, lies, usury, extortion.
““[…] Churchill, my dear fellow, we have such greedy sharks, and wolves in lamb's clothing. Oh, dear, there's so much to tell you, so many warnings to give you, but all that must be postponed for the m”
““Look after her, Mr. Hastings. My poor Emily. They’re a lot of sharks—all of them. Oh, I know what I’m talking about. There isn’t one of them that’s not hard up and trying to get money out of her. I’v”
- informalA relentless and resolute person or group, especially in business.
“In the event they lacked a proper midfield bolt, with Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira huffing around in pursuit of the whizzing green machine. The centre-backs looked flustered, left to deal with three on”
- A person that excels in a particular field.
- informalA very good poker or pool player. Compare fish (a bad poker player).
- A person who feigns ineptitude to win money from others.
- intransitive, rareTo fish for sharks.
- obsoleteTo steal or obtain through fraud.
“Shakespeare and others, Sir Thomas More (c. 1593) act 2, sc. 4: "Other ruffians...Would shark on you."”
- intransitive, obsoleteTo play the petty thief; to practice fraud or trickery; to swindle.
“Neither sharks for a cup or a reckoning.”
- intransitive, obsoleteTo live by shifts and stratagems.
“Ah Captaine, lay not all the fault upon Officers you know you can ſhark though you be out of action, witneſſe Montague.”
“But a good man ſhall be ſatisfied from himſelf] For he hath a ſpring vvithin his ovvn breaſt, he needs not ſharke abroad: he hath an autarkie, a ſelf-ſufficiency, 1 Tim[othy] 6.6.”
- obsoleteTo pick or gather indiscriminately or covertly.
“Fortenbraſſe […] Hath […] Sharkt vp a ſight of lawleſſe Reſolutes […]”
Formssharks(plural) · sharke(alternative, obsolete) · sharks(present, singular, third-person) · sharking(participle, present) · sharked(participle, past) · sharked(past)
Source: Wiktionary