The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Shark \Shark\ (sh[aum]rk), 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. (Zool.) 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 syn. Prionace glauca) 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 (Carcharodon Atwoodi) is
thought by some to be a variety, or the young, of
Carcharodon carcharias. The dusky shark
(Carcharhinus obscurus) is a common species on the
coast of the United States of moderate size and not
dangerous. It feeds on shellfish and bottom fishes.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The original 1913 Webster also mentioned a "smaller
blue shark (C. caudatus)", but this species could not
be found mentioned on the Web (August 2002). The
following is a list of Atlantic Ocean sharks:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Common and Scientific Names of Atlantic Sharks
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
from "Our Living Oceans 1995" (published by the
National Printing Office):
NMFS. 1999. Our Living Oceans. Report on the status of
U.S. living marine resources, 1999. U.S. Dep. Commer.,
NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-F/SPO-41, on-line version,
http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/olo99.htm.
(the following list is found at at
http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/app5.pdf)
(1) Pelagic Sharks
Thresher shark (Alopias vulpinus)
Bigeye thresher (Alopias superciliosus)
Oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus)
Sevengill shark (Heptrachias perlo)
Sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus)
Bigeye sixgill shark (Hexanchus vitulus)
Shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)
Longfin mako (Isurus paucus)
Porbeagle (Lamna nasus)
Blue shark (Prionace glauca)
(2)Large Coastal Sharks
Sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus)
Reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi)
Blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus)
Dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus)
Spinner shark (Carcharhinus brevipinna)
Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)
Bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas)
Bignose shark (Carcharhinus altimus)
Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis)
Night shark (Carcharhinus signatus)
White shark (Carcharodon carcharias)
Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)
Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris)
Ragged-tooth shark (Odontaspis ferox)
Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)
Scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)
Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran)
Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena)
(3) Small Coastal Sharks
Finetooth shark (Carcharhinus isodon)
Blacknose shark (Carcharhinus acronotus)
Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon erraenovae)
Caribbean sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon porosus)
Bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo)
Atlantic angel shark (Squatina dumeril)
[PJC]
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]
Basking 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 v.0.48:
Spadefish \Spade"fish`\ (sp[=a]d"f[i^]sh`), n. (Zool.)
An American market fish (Chaetodipterus faber) common on
the southern coasts; -- called also angel fish, moonfish,
and porgy.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Angel \An"gel\, n. [AS. [ae]ngel, engel, influenced by OF.
angele, angle, F. ange. Both the AS. and the OF. words are
from L. angelus, Gr. 'a`ggelos messenger, a messenger of God,
an angel.]
1. A messenger. [R.]
[1913 Webster]
The dear good angel of the Spring,
The nightingale. --B. Jonson.
[1913 Webster]
2. A spiritual, celestial being, superior to man in power and
intelligence. In the Scriptures the angels appear as God's
messengers.
[1913 Webster]
O, welcome, pure-eyed Faith, white-handed Hope,
Thou hovering angel, girt with golden wings.
--Milton.
[1913 Webster]
3. One of a class of "fallen angels;" an evil spirit; as, the
devil and his angels.
[1913 Webster]
4. A minister or pastor of a church, as in the Seven Asiatic
churches. [Archaic]
[1913 Webster]
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write.
--Rev. ii. 1.
[1913 Webster]
5. Attendant spirit; genius; demon. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
6. An appellation given to a person supposed to be of angelic
goodness or loveliness; a darling.
[1913 Webster]
When pain and anguish wring the brow,
A ministering angel thou. --Sir W.
Scott.
[1913 Webster]
7. (Numis.) An ancient gold coin of England, bearing the
figure of the archangel Michael. It varied in value from
6s. 8d. to 10s. --Amer. Cyc.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Angel is sometimes used adjectively; as, angel grace;
angel whiteness.
[1913 Webster]
Angel bed, a bed without posts.
Angel fish. (Zool.)
(a) A species of shark (Squatina angelus) from six to
eight feet long, found on the coasts of Europe and
North America. It takes its name from its pectoral
fins, which are very large and extend horizontally
like wings when spread.
(b) One of several species of compressed, bright colored
fishes warm seas, belonging to the family
Ch[ae]todontid[ae].
Angel gold, standard gold. [Obs.] --Fuller.
Angel shark. See Angel fish.
Angel shot (Mil.), a kind of chain shot.
Angel water, a perfumed liquid made at first chiefly from
angelica; afterwards containing rose, myrtle, and
orange-flower waters, with ambergris, etc. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Angel fish \An"gel fish\
See under Angel.
[1913 Webster]