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Southdown

[south-doun]
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noun
  1. one of an English breed of sheep, yielding mutton of high quality.
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Origin of Southdown

1780–90; named after South Downs, where the breed was developed
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for southdown

Historical Examples

  • The weight of a Southdown fleece averages from four to five pounds.

    Textiles

    William H. Dooley

  • Southdown is one of the most valuable of short staple wools.

    Textiles

    William H. Dooley

  • It is, however, larger than the Southdown, and yields a larger quantity of wool.

    The Stock-Feeder's Manual

    Charles Alexander Cameron

  • The flesh of the Southdown wether is esteemed the finest flavoured.

  • Even the Southdown Road people have that; but no consideration is shown to me.

    Spring Days

    George Moore

British Dictionary definitions for southdown

Southdown

noun
  1. an English breed of sheep with short wool and a greyish-brown face and legs
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Word Origin

C18: so called because it was originally bred on the South Downs
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