• (America) IPA: /ʃɑɹk/
• (RP) IPA: /ʃɑːk/

shark (plural sharks)

1. A scaleless, 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.

• (scaleless cartilaginous fish) haye (obsolete)

• French: requin
• German: Hai, Haifisch
• Italian: squalo, pescecane
• Portuguese: tubarão, cação
• Russian: аку́ла
• Spanish: tiburón, escualo

shark (sharks, present participle sharking; past and past participle sharked)

1. (rare) To fish for sharks.

shark (plural sharks)

1. Someone who exploits others, for example by trickery, lies, usury, extortion.
2. (informal, derogatory) A sleazy and amoral lawyer
3. (informal, derogatory) An ambulance chaser.
4. (informal) A relentless and resolute person or group, especially in business.
5. (informal) A very good poker or pool player. Compare fish (a bad poker player).
6. (sports and games) A person who feigns ineptitude to win money from others.

• (player who feigns ineptitude to win money) hustler

• French: requin

shark (sharks, present participle sharking; past and past participle sharked)

1. (obsolete) To steal or obtain through fraud.
2. (obsolete, intransitive) To play the petty thief; to practice fraud or trickery; to swindle.

   • Neither sharks for a cup or a reckoning.

3. (obsolete, intransitive) To live by shifts and stratagems.

shark (sharks, present participle sharking; past and past participle sharked)

1. (obsolete) To pick or gather indiscriminately or covertly.
   • c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene i]:

     Fortinbras […] Hath […] Sharked up a list of lawless resolutes.