4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Shark  \Shark\,  n.  [Of  uncertain  origin;  perhaps  through  OF  fr 
  carcharus  a  kind  of  dogfish,  Gr  karchari`as,  so  called  from 
  its  sharp  teeth,  fr  ka`rcharos  having  sharp  or  jagged  teeth; 
  or  perhaps  named  from  its  rapacity  (cf.  {Shark},  v.  t.  &  i.); 
  cf  Corn.  scarceas.] 
  1.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  one  of  numerous  species  of  elasmobranch 
  fishes  of  the  order  Plagiostomi,  found  in  all  seas. 
 
  Note:  Some  sharks,  as  the  basking  shark  and  the  whale  shark, 
  grow  to  an  enormous  size,  the  former  becoming  forty 
  feet  or  more  and  the  latter  sixty  feet  or  more  in 
  length.  Most  of  them  are  harmless  to  man,  but  some  are 
  exceedingly  voracious.  The  man-eating  sharks  mostly 
  belong  to  the  genera  {Carcharhinus},  {Carcharodon},  and 
  related  genera.  They  have  several  rows  of  large  sharp 
  teeth  with  serrated  edges,  as  the  great  white  shark 
  ({Carcharodon  carcharias,  or  Rondeleti})  of  tropical 
  seas,  and  the  great  blue  shark  ({Carcharhinus  glaucus}) 
  of  all  tropical  and  temperate  seas.  The  former 
  sometimes  becomes  thirty-six  feet  long,  and  is  the  most 
  voracious  and  dangerous  species  known  The  rare 
  man-eating  shark  of  the  United  States  coast 
  ({Charcarodon  Atwoodi})  is  thought  by  some  to  be  a 
  variety,  or  the  young,  of  {C.  carcharias}.  The  dusky 
  shark  ({Carcharhinus  obscurus}),  and  the  smaller  blue 
  shark  ({C.  caudatus}),  both  common  species  on  the  coast 
  of  the  United  States,  are  of  moderate  size  and  not 
  dangerous.  They  feed  on  shellfish  and  bottom  fishes. 
 
  2.  A  rapacious,  artful  person;  a  sharper.  [Colloq.] 
 
  3.  Trickery;  fraud;  petty  rapine;  as  to  live  upon  the  shark. 
  [Obs.]  --South. 
 
  {Baskin  shark},  {Liver  shark},  {Nurse  shark},  {Oil  shark}, 
  {Sand  shark},  {Tiger  shark},  etc  See  under  {Basking}, 
  {Liver},  etc  See  also  {Dogfish},  {Houndfish}, 
  {Notidanian},  and  {Tope}. 
 
  {Gray  shark},  the  sand  shark. 
 
  {Hammer-headed  shark}.  See  {Hammerhead}. 
 
  {Port  Jackson  shark}.  See  {Cestraciont}. 
 
  {Shark  barrow},  the  eggcase  of  a  shark;  a  sea  purse. 
 
  {Shark  ray}.  Same  as  {Angel  fish} 
  (a),  under  {Angel}. 
 
  {Thrasher}  shark,  or  {Thresher  shark},  a  large  voracious 
  shark.  See  {Thrasher}. 
 
  {Whale  shark},  a  huge  harmless  shark  ({Rhinodon  typicus})  of 
  the  Indian  Ocean.  It  becomes  sixty  feet  or  more  in  length, 
  but  has  very  small  teeth. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Shark  \Shark\,  v.  t.  [Of  uncertain  origin;  perhaps  fr  shark, 
  n.,  or  perhaps  related  to  E.  shear  (as  hearken  to  hear),  and 
  originally  meaning,  to  clip  off  Cf  {Shirk}.] 
  To  pick  or  gather  indiscriminately  or  covertly.  [Obs.] 
  --Shak. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Shark  \Shark\,  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Sharked};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Sharking}.] 
  1.  To  play  the  petty  thief;  to  practice  fraud  or  trickery;  to 
  swindle. 
 
  Neither  sharks  for  a  cup  or  a  reckoning.  --Bp. 
  Earle. 
 
  2.  To  live  by  shifts  and  stratagems.  --Beau.  &  Fl 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  shark 
  n  1:  any  of  numerous  elongate  mostly  marine  carnivorous  fishes 
  with  heterocercal  caudal  fins  and  tough  skin  covered 
  with  small  toothlike  scales 
  2:  someone  who  lends  money  at  excessive  rates  of  interest  [syn: 
  {usurer},  {loan  shark},  {moneylender}] 
  3:  a  person  who  is  unusually  skilled  in  certain  ways;  "a  card 
  shark" 
  v  1:  play  the  shark;  act  with  trickery 
  2:  hunt  shark 

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