Oil shark

Oil shark
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. [1913 Webster]

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 {Carcharodon 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. [1913 Webster]

2. A rapacious, artful person; a sharper. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

3. Trickery; fraud; petty rapine; as, to live upon the shark. [Obs.] --South. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Oil shark — Oil Oil (oil), n. [OE. oile, OF. oile, F. huile, fr. L. oleum; akin to Gr. ?. Cf. {Olive}.] Any one of a great variety of unctuous combustible substances, more viscous than and not miscible with water; as, olive oil, whale oil, rock oil, etc.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • oil shark — paprastasis sriubinis ryklys statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Galeorhinus galeus angl. liver oil shark; oil shark; school shark; soupfin shark; tope; tope shark; vitamin shark rus. австралийская… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • oil shark — milžinryklis statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Cetorhinus maximus angl. basking shark; bone shark; elephant shark; giant shark; oil shark rus. гигантская акула ryšiai: platesnis terminas – milžinrykliai …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • oil shark — Tope Tope, n. 1. (Zo[ o]l.) A small shark or dogfish ({Galeorhinus galeus} syn. {Galeus galeus}), native of Europe, but found also on the coasts of California and Tasmania; called also {toper}, {oil shark}, {miller s dog}, and {penny dog}. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • oil shark — noun : any of several sharks from whose livers oil is obtained: as a. : basking shark b. : soupfin shark …   Useful english dictionary

  • liver-oil shark — paprastasis sriubinis ryklys statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Galeorhinus galeus angl. liver oil shark; oil shark; school shark; soupfin shark; tope; tope shark; vitamin shark rus. австралийская… …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • Oil — (oil), n. [OE. oile, OF. oile, F. huile, fr. L. oleum; akin to Gr. ?. Cf. {Olive}.] Any one of a great variety of unctuous combustible substances, more viscous than and not miscible with water; as, olive oil, whale oil, rock oil, etc. They are of …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Oil bag — Oil Oil (oil), n. [OE. oile, OF. oile, F. huile, fr. L. oleum; akin to Gr. ?. Cf. {Olive}.] Any one of a great variety of unctuous combustible substances, more viscous than and not miscible with water; as, olive oil, whale oil, rock oil, etc.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Oil beetle — Oil Oil (oil), n. [OE. oile, OF. oile, F. huile, fr. L. oleum; akin to Gr. ?. Cf. {Olive}.] Any one of a great variety of unctuous combustible substances, more viscous than and not miscible with water; as, olive oil, whale oil, rock oil, etc.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Oil box — Oil Oil (oil), n. [OE. oile, OF. oile, F. huile, fr. L. oleum; akin to Gr. ?. Cf. {Olive}.] Any one of a great variety of unctuous combustible substances, more viscous than and not miscible with water; as, olive oil, whale oil, rock oil, etc.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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