shark

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ʃɑːk/ (General American) IPA(key): /ʃɑɹk/ Homophone: shock (non-rhotic, father-bother merger) Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)k === Etymology 1 === From 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. Its name in Old English is unknown, although some uses of the word hranfisċ that do not appear to carry the sense of "whale" may have been referencing it. ==== Noun ==== shark (countable and uncountable, plural sharks) (ichthyology, countable) Any predatory fish of the superorder Selachimorpha, with a cartilaginous skeleton and 5 to 7 gill slits on each side of its head. 1569, The true discripcion of this marueilous straunge Fishe, whiche was taken on Thursday was sennight, the xvi. day of June, this present month, in the yeare of our Lord God, M.D.lxix., a broadside printed in London, the second earliest known use of the term; reprinted in A Collection of Seventy-Nine Black-Letter Ballads and Broadsides: printed in the reigh of Queen Elizabeth, between the years 1559 and 1597 in 1867: 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 hath v. gills of eache side of the head, shoing white. Ther is no proper name for it that I know, but that sertayne men of Captayne Haukinses doth call it a sharke. (uncountable) Meat of this animal, consumed as food. (paleontology, loosely) Any fish of the class Chondrichthyes, especially an extinct shark-like holocephalian. A freshwater fish that resembles a true shark (Selachimorpha) in appearance or movement; a freshwater shark. Any fish in the genus Epalzeorhynchos. Any fish in the genus Balantiocheilos. An iridescent shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus). A roseline shark (Dawkinsia denisonii). A paroon shark (Pangasius sanitwongsei). (countable) A noctuid moth of species Cucullia umbratica. (UK, university slang, countable) A university student who is not a fresher that has engaged in sexual activity with a fresher; usually habitually and with multiple people. ===== Alternative forms ===== sharke (obsolete) ===== Synonyms ===== (cartilaginous fish of Selachimorpha): haye (obsolete) ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== shark (third-person singular simple present sharks, present participle sharking, simple past and past participle sharked) (intransitive, rare) To fish for sharks. (UK, university slang, mildly derogatory) Of a university student who is not a fresher (first-year undergraduate), and especially towards the start of the academic year: (transitive) To engage in sexual activity with a fresher. (intransitive) To cruise for casual sex with a fresher at a bar or club. ==== See also ==== ==== References ==== shark on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Selachimorpha on Wikispecies.Wikispecies Category:Selachimorpha on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons shark meat on Wikipedia.Wikipedia shark (moth) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === Etymology 2 === From German Schurke (“scoundrel”); compare Dutch schurk. ==== Noun ==== shark (plural sharks) Someone who exploits others, for example by trickery, lies, usury, extortion. (informal, derogatory) A sleazy and amoral lawyer. (informal, derogatory) An ambulance chaser. (informal) A relentless and resolute person or group, especially in business. A person that excels in a particular field. (informal, proscribed) A very good poker or pool player. Compare fish (a bad poker player). (sports and games) A person who feigns ineptitude to win money from others. ===== Usage notes ===== The use of the term by people unfamiliar with pool is rarely well perceived by experienced players. ===== Synonyms ===== (player who feigns ineptitude to win money): hustler ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== shark (third-person singular simple present sharks, present participle sharking, simple past and past participle sharked) (obsolete) To steal or obtain through fraud. Shakespeare and others, Sir Thomas More (c. 1593) act 2, sc. 4: "Other ruffians...Would shark on you." (obsolete, intransitive) To play the petty thief; to practice fraud or trickery; to swindle. (obsolete, intransitive) To live by shifts and stratagems. ===== Derived terms ===== shirk === Etymology 3 === Probably from the "steal" senses above, but perhaps related to shear. Compare shirk. ==== Verb ==== shark (third-person singular simple present sharks, present participle sharking, simple past and past participle sharked) (obsolete) To pick or gather indiscriminately or covertly. ==== References ==== === Further reading === “shark”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “shark”, in The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. === Anagrams === harks, HKSAR, Kahrs == Albanian == === Etymology 1 === From Proto-Slavic *sorka (“shirt”). ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /ʃaɾk/ ==== Noun ==== shark m (definite sharku) shepherd's vest, cloak Synonym: bërruc ===== Declension ===== ===== Related terms ===== sharkë === Etymology 2 === From Ancient Greek σάρξ (sárx). ==== Noun ==== shark m (definite sharku) shell (of certain fruits like nuts, hazel, chestnut etc) skin (that covers the seed of certain fruits like peach, grape, prunes etc) snake skin === References === == Middle English == === Etymology === Of uncertain origin; see English shark. === Noun === shark (hapax legomenon) shark ==== Descendants ==== English: shark ==== References ==== “shark, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.