shark
shark — noun
1. a large saltwater fish with rows of razor-sharp teeth and a triangular fin risin
a large saltwater fish with rows of razor-sharp teeth and a triangular fin rising from its back. Certain species of shark can be dangerous to people swimming in the ocean.
Joon saw the fin of a shark cutting through the water near the boat.
body parts: fin; typical verb: cutting through the water
The aquarium has a new tank where visitors can watch sharks swim overhead.
collocation: watch sharks swim
Some sharks must keep swimming constantly to push water over their gills.
Fishermen caught a two-metre-long tiger shark off the coast of Queensland.
When Kabir goes scuba diving, he always hopes to spot a reef shark among the coral.
文法句型
the + noun
a/an + noun
noun + verb (singular/plural)
常見錯誤
2. a dishonest person who takes money from others by cheating them or lending money
a dishonest person who takes money from others by cheating them or lending money at unacceptably high interest rates
The loan shark threatened Walid when he could not pay back what he owed.
compound noun: loan shark
Be careful with that car dealer — he is a real shark who tricks customers into bad deals.
informal use: 'a real shark'
Eitan lost his savings to a property shark who sold him a house with hidden damage.
The city passed new laws to protect poor families from loan sharks operating in the neighbourhood.
文法句型
a/an + noun
noun + noun (compound modifier)
loan shark (compound noun)
用法筆記
When used as a modifier before another noun (loan shark, property shark, business shark), the term specifies the area where the person cheats others. This sense is almost always informal and disapproving.
常見錯誤
3. someone who is exceptionally good at a particular game or activity, especially w
someone who is exceptionally good at a particular game or activity, especially when their talent allows them to win against less experienced players
The pool shark cleaned out every player in the room without ever missing a shot.
phrase: pool shark
Gabriela earned the nickname "card shark" after winning seven poker games in one evening.
phrase: card shark
At the arcade, a young shark beat everyone at the racing game for two hours straight.
At the tournament, Niran proved he was a chess shark by checkmating four opponents in under an hour.
文法句型
[game/activity] + shark
pool shark
用法筆記
This sense often describes someone whose skill gives them an advantage over less experienced people, sometimes with a hint of trickery. In American English, 'pool shark' and 'card shark' are the most common uses. Do not confuse with the DISHONEST PERSON sense — a pool shark may simply be highly skilled, not necessarily a cheat.
shark — verb
1. to hunt or catch sharks, usually for sport or commercial sale of their meat and
to hunt or catch sharks, usually for sport or commercial sale of their meat and fins
The fishermen went sharking off the coast of South Africa for three days.
verb form: go + sharking
Piotr learned to shark from his grandfather, who had run a fishing boat for forty years.
The crew set out before dawn to shark in the warm waters near the reef.
Niran spent a summer sharking with a commercial fleet off the coast of Japan.
文法句型
go sharking (phrasal)
shark for [fish type]
用法筆記
This is the original verb meaning, but it is very rare in modern English. Most speakers today use 'go shark fishing' or 'hunt sharks' instead of the verb 'to shark'.
2. to obtain something through dishonest or unfair methods, rather than through hon
to obtain something through dishonest or unfair methods, rather than through honest effort or payment
The collector sharked the rare stamp from an elderly widow who did not know its true value.
pattern: shark [something] from [someone]
Beatriz suspected that someone had sharked the job from her by lying about their qualifications.
The dealer sharked the painting from the family by telling them it was a worthless copy.
Élise discovered that her business partner had sharked half the company shares through a forged document.
- swindle
modern, more common equivalent; specifically about cheating someone out of money or property
文法句型
shark + noun (something)
用法筆記
Very rare in everyday speech. Modern English prefers 'swindle', 'con', or 'scam' to describe obtaining something dishonestly.
3. to act dishonestly or engage in fraud, especially for personal financial gain
to act dishonestly or engage in fraud, especially for personal financial gain
The travel agency had been sharking for years before the authorities finally shut it down.
verb used intransitively (to shark = to defraud)
Ife warned her cousin that the man who offered the deal was known for sharking unsuspecting tourists.
The ticket seller had been sharking at the stadium for months, selling fake passes to every game.
Matthew was caught sharking when the bank noticed the accounts had been emptied without permission.
文法句型
shark (without object)
用法筆記
This sense is archaic in most varieties of English. The noun form 'shark' (DISHONEST PERSON sense) is still used, but the verb has largely been replaced by 'cheat', 'defraud', or 'scam'.