I was watching TV last night & someone accused a person of being a card shark, the person replied that it was card sharp. I've always said card shark to refer to a person who was so merciless at poker that they would have everyone else betting their cufflinks.
I just looked this up at wikipedia & either word is correct. The word shark also means parasite or predator. The word sharp derived from the meaning of shark in the 17th century. American English now sees a shark as something favorable, & sharp as something negative. What do you say? Card shark or card sharp?
2 comments:
Shark. And I have to admit, I would have laughed at someone saying "sharp" until reading your post. See? You're providing a valuable service to humanity by saving someone from my ascerbic remarks and me from eating crow.
Thank you, oh great princess of knowledge!
Put my vote on the "card sharK" side.
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