Loan Shark

B2 16+

Pronunciation: /loʊn ʃɑrk/

Definitions of loan shark

noun A person who lends money in exchange for personal property as security

Example Sentences

A1 A loan shark is someone who lends money at extremely high interest rates.

A2 People should be cautious of loan sharks who target vulnerable individuals in need of quick cash.

B1 The government has been cracking down on illegal loan sharks who operate without a license.

B2 Many people fall into debt traps because they borrow from loan sharks instead of reputable financial institutions.

C1 Loan sharks often use intimidation tactics to ensure borrowers make timely payments.

C2 It is important to report any suspicious activities of loan sharks to the authorities to protect others from being victimized.

Examples of loan shark in a Sentence

formal The government is cracking down on illegal lending practices, including those of loan sharks.

informal I heard that Tony got mixed up with a loan shark and now he's in big trouble.

slang Stay away from that guy, he's a real loan shark.

figurative The company's high interest rates were likened to those of a loan shark preying on desperate customers.

Grammatical Forms of loan shark

plural

loan sharks

comparative

more loan shark

superlative

most loan shark

present tense

loan shark

future tense

will be loan shark

perfect tense

have been loan shark

continuous tense

are loan sharking

singular

loan shark

positive degree

loan shark

infinitive

to loan shark

gerund

loan sharking

participle

loan sharked

Origin and Evolution of loan shark

First Known Use: 1905 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The term 'loan shark' originated from the practice of illegal moneylenders who would often use intimidation and violence to collect debts from borrowers.
Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe predatory and unscrupulous moneylenders, the term 'loan shark' has evolved to refer to any lender who charges exorbitant interest rates or engages in unethical lending practices.