sheep

[sheep]

noun

plural

sheep 

1. 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.

2. leather made from the skin of these animals.

3. a meek, unimaginative, or easily led person.

sheep

¹

/ ʃiːp /

noun

1. 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 meat

2. another name for aoudad

3. a meek or timid person, esp one without initiative

4. to pick out the members of any group who are superior in some respects

SHEEP

²

abbreviation

1. Sky High Earnings Expectations Possibly: applied to investments that appear to offer high returns but may be unreliable

Other Word Forms

• sheepless adjective
• sheeplike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sheep¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English (north) scēp; cognate with Dutch schaap, German Schaf

Word History and Origins

Origin of sheep¹

Old English sceap; related to Old Frisian skēp, Old Saxon scāp, Old High German scāf

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. separate the sheep from the goats, to separate good people from bad or those intended for a specific end from unqualified people.

see black sheep; hanged for a sheep; separate the sheep from the goats; wolf in sheep's clothing.

Example Sentences

Donkeys, including a couple, Clyde and Opal, patrol the vineyards to fend off coyotes, while chickens and sheep rotate through the rows, and hawks and owls are nurtured to deter rodents.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

From counting sheep to trying white noise or using weighted blankets, people have explored countless ways to improve their sleep.

Read more on Science Daily

"We have made a big sacrifice - since the day I rescued it, I have slaughtered 15 sheep to feed the cheetah," Mr Hussein told the BBC.

Read more on BBC

At the time, Clarke’s dad was working as a sheep farmer and would drive the family “from sheep shed to sheep shed” while his wife cared for their infant son in the cramped family abode.

Read more on MarketWatch

With that in mind, it seemed apt to check in with Timothy Crack, an economist living in New Zealand, a country with more sheep than people.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• darkness 
• fog 
• gloom 
• mist 
• puff 
• smog 
• smoke 
• steam 
• vapor 
• veil