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sheep
[ sheep ]
/ ʃip /
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noun, plural sheep.
any of numerous ruminant mammals of the genus Ovis, of the family Bovidae, closely related to the goats, especially O. aries, bred in a number of domesticated varieties.
leather made from the skin of these animals.
a meek, unimaginative, or easily led person.
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Idioms about sheep
separate the sheep from the goats, to separate good people from bad or those intended for a specific end from unqualified people.
Origin of sheep
before 900; Middle English; Old English (north) scēp; cognate with Dutch schaap,German Schaf
OTHER WORDS FROM sheep
sheepless, adjectivesheeplike, adjectiveWords nearby sheep
sheen, Sheena, Sheene, sheeney, sheeny, sheep, sheepback rock, sheepberry, sheepcote, sheep-dip, sheepdog
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use sheep in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for sheep (1 of 2)
sheep
/ (ʃiːp) /
noun plural sheep
any of various bovid mammals of the genus Ovis and related genera, esp O. aries (domestic sheep), having transversely ribbed horns and a narrow face. There are many breeds of domestic sheep, raised for their wool and for meatRelated adjective: ovine
Barbary sheep another name for aoudad
a meek or timid person, esp one without initiative
separate the sheep from the goats to pick out the members of any group who are superior in some respects
Derived forms of sheep
sheeplike, adjectiveWord Origin for sheep
Old English sceap; related to Old Frisian skēp, Old Saxon scāp, Old High German scāf
British Dictionary definitions for sheep (2 of 2)
SHEEP
abbreviation for
Sky High Earnings Expectations Possibly: applied to investments that appear to offer high returns but may be unreliable
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with sheep
sheep
see black sheep; hanged for a sheep; separate the sheep from the goats; wolf in sheep's clothing.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.