Shark–Figures of Speech

shark (noun)  =

(a)  a dangerous, ruthless, selfish, greedy, dishonest person

(b)  a money lender (financier) who charges high rates of interest, especially illegally (also ‘loan shark’)

(c)  a person who obtains something from others or has his  own way by force or by deceit (by deceiving/cheating)

(d)  a person who extorts money from other people (takes other people’s money by threatening them)

2.

to shark (verb)  =

(a)  to get something from other by deceit (by deceiving/cheating)

(b)  to live by fraud or trickery (to make a living by deceiving/cheating others)

3.

sharks (noun)  =  {old usage} the newspaper, radio, TV reporters

4.

land-shark  =  a person who deceives/cheats/swindles sailors when they are on land (when the sailors go on to the land when the ship stops at any harbour)

5.

loan shark  =  a money lender (financier) who lends money at very high rates of interest, especially illegally

6.

“Box of sharks!” [said as an expression of great surprise]

7.

shark-bait  =  a careless swimmer, swimming along dangerously far from the beach

8.

so mean he/she wouldn’t give a shout if a shark bit him/her [said of a very mean (miserly) person]