The Wordsmith Dictionary

Sheep, n. sing. & pl. Etym: [OE. shep, scheep, AS. sc, sceáp; akin to OFries. sk, LG. & D. schaap, G. schaf, OHG. scaf, Skr. chaga. sq. root295. Cf. Sheepherd.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of ruminants of the genus Ovis, native of the higher mountains of both hemispheres, but most numerous in Asia.

Note: The domestic sheep (Ovis aries ) varies much in size, in the length and texture of its wool, the form and size of its horns, the length of its tail, etc. It was domesticated in prehistoric ages, and many distinct breeds have been produced; as the merinos, celebrated for their fine wool; the Cretan sheep, noted for their long horns; the fat-tailed, or Turkish, sheep, remarkable for the size and fatness of the tail, which often has to be supported on trucks; the Southdowns, in which the horns are lacking; and an Asiatic breed which always has four horns.

2. A weak, bashful, silly fellow. Ainsworth.

3. pl.

Defn: Fig. : The people of God, as being under the government and protection of Christ, the great Shepherd. Rocky mountain sheep. (Zoöl.) See Bighorn. -- Maned sheep. (Zoöl.) See Aoudad. -- Sheep bot (Zoöl.), the larva of the sheep botfly. See Estrus. -- Sheep dog (Zoöl.), a shepherd dog, or collie. -- Sheep laurel (Bot. ), a small North American shrub (Kalmia angustifolia ) with deep rose-colored flowers in corymbs. -- Sheep pest (Bot. ), an Australian plant (Acæna ovina ) related to the burnet. The fruit is covered with barbed spines, by which it adheres to the wool of sheep. -- Sheep run, an extensive tract of country where sheep range and graze. -- Sheep's beard (Bot. ), a cichoraceous herb (Urospermum Dalechampii ) of Southern Europe; -- so called from the conspicuous pappus of the achenes. -- Sheep's bit (Bot. ), a European herb (Jasione montana ) having much the appearance of scabious. -- Sheep pox (Med. ), a contagious disease of sheep, characterixed by the development of vesicles or pocks upon the skin. -- Sheep scabious. (Bot. ) Same as Sheep's bit. -- Sheep shears, shears in which the blades form the two ends of a steel bow, by the elasticity of which they open as often as pressed together by the hand in cutting; -- so called because used to cut off the wool of sheep. -- Sheep sorrel. (Bot. ), a prerennial herb (Rumex Acetosella ) growing naturally on poor, dry, gravelly soil. Its leaves have a pleasant acid taste like sorrel. -- Sheep's-wool (Zoöl.), the highest grade of Florida commercial sponges (Spongia equina, variety gossypina ). -- Sheep tick (Zoöl.), a wingless parasitic insect (Melophagus ovinus ) belonging to the Diptera. It fixes its proboscis in the skin of the sheep and sucks the blood, leaving a swelling. Called also sheep pest, and sheep louse. -- Sheep walk, a pasture for sheep; a sheep run. -- Wild sheep. (Zoöl.) See Argali, Mouflon, and Oörial.

SHEEPBACK

SHEEPBACK Sheep "back `, n. (Geol.)

Defn: A rounded knoll of rock resembling the back of a sheep. -- produced by glacial action. Called also roche moutonnée; -- usually in the plural.

SHEEPBERRY

SHEEPBERRY Sheep "ber `ry, n. (Bot. )

Defn: The edible fruit of a small North American tree of the genus Viburnum (V. Lentago ), having white flowers in flat cymes; also, the tree itself. Called also nannyberry.

SHEEPBITE

SHEEPBITE Sheep "bite `, v. i.

Defn: To bite or nibble like a sheep; hence, to practice petty thefts. [Obs. ] Shak.

SHEEPBITER

SHEEPBITER Sheep "bit `er, n.

Defn: One who practices petty thefts. [Obs. ] Shak. There are political sheepbiters as well as pastoral; betrayers of public trusts as well as of private. L'Estrange.

SHEEPCOT; SHEEPCOTE

SHEEPCOT; SHEEPCOTE Sheep "cot `, Sheep "cote `, n.

Defn: A small inclosure for sheep; a pen; a fold.

SHEEP-FACED

SHEEP-FACED Sheep "-faced `, a.

Defn: Over-bashful; sheepish.

SHEEPFOLD

SHEEPFOLD Sheep "fold `, n.

Defn: A fold or pen for sheep; a place where sheep are collected or confined.

SHEEP-HEADED

SHEEP-HEADED Sheep "-head `ed, a.

Defn: Silly; simple-minded; stupid. Taylor (163 )

SHEEPHOOK

SHEEPHOOK Sheep "hook `, n.

Defn: A hook fastened to pole, by which shepherds lay hold on the legs or necks of their sheep; a shepherd's crook. Dryden.

SHEEPISH

SHEEPISH Sheep "ish, a.

1. Of or pertaining to sheep. [Obs. ]

2. Like a sheep; bashful; over-modest; meanly or foolishly diffident; timorous to excess. Wanting change of company, he will, when he comes abroad, be a sheepish or conceited creature. Locke. -- Sheep "ish *ly, adv. -- Sheep "ish *ness, n.

SHEEPMASTER

SHEEPMASTER Sheep "mas `ter, n.

Defn: A keeper or feeder of sheep; also, an owner of sheep. 2 Kings iii. 4.

SHEEPRACK

SHEEPRACK Sheep "rack `, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The starling.

SHEEP'S-EYE

SHEEP'S-EYE Sheep's "-eye `, n.

Defn: A modest, diffident look; a loving glance; -- commonly in the plural. I saw her just now give him the languishing eye, as they call it; ... of old called the sheep's-eye. Wycherley.

SHEEP'S-FOOT

SHEEP'S-FOOT Sheep's-foot `, n.

Defn: A printer's tool consisting of a metal bar formed into a hammer head at one end and a claw at the other, -- used as a lever and hammer.

SHEEPSHANK

SHEEPSHANK Sheep "shank `, n. (Naut. )

Defn: A hitch by which a rope may be temporarily shortened.

SHEEPSHEAD

Sheeps "head ` (, n. Etym: [So called because of the fancied resemblance of its head and front teeth to those of a sheep. ] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large and valuable sparoid food fish (Archosargus, or Diplodus, probatocephalus ) found on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It often weighs from ten to twelve pounds.

Note: The name is also locally, in a loose way, applied to various other fishes, as the butterfish, the fresh-water drumfish, the parrot fish, the porgy, and the moonfish.

SHEEP-SHEARER

SHEEP-SHEARER Sheep "-shear `er, n.

Defn: One who shears, or cuts off the wool from, sheep.

SHEEP-SHEARING

SHEEP-SHEARING Sheep "-shear `ing, n.

1. Act of shearing sheep.

2. A feast at the time of sheep-shearing. Shak.

SHEEPSKIN

SHEEPSKIN Sheep "skin `, n.

1. The skin of a sheep; or, leather prepared from it.

2. A diploma; -- so called because usually written or printed on parchment prepared from the skin of the sheep. [College Cant ]

SHEEPSPLIT

SHEEPSPLIT Sheep "split `, n.

Defn: A split of a sheepskin; one of the thin sections made by splitting a sheepskin with a cutting knife or machine.

SHEEPY

SHEEPY Sheep "y, a.

Defn: Resembling sheep; sheepish. Testament of Love.

New American Oxford Dictionary

sheep

sheep |SHēp ʃip | ▶noun ( pl. same ) 1 a domesticated ruminant animal with a thick woolly coat and (typically only in the male ) curving horns. It is kept in flocks for its wool or meat, and is proverbial for its tendency to follow others in the flock. [Ovis aries, family Bovidae, descended from the wild mouflon. ] • a wild mammal related to this, such as the argali, bighorn, and urial. 2 a person who is too easily influenced or led: the party members had become sheep, and she refused to be taken in. 3 a person regarded as a protected follower of God. [with biblical allusion to Luke 15:6. ] • informal a member of a minister's congregation. PHRASES count sheep count imaginary sheep jumping over a fence one by one in an attempt to put oneself to sleep. make sheep's eyes at look at (someone ) in a foolishly amorous way. DERIVATIVES sheep like |-ˌlīk |adjective ORIGIN Old English scēp, scǣp, scēap; related to Dutch schaap and German Schaf .

sheep dip

sheep dip |ʃip dɪp | ▶noun a liquid preparation for cleansing sheep of parasites or preserving their wool. • a place where sheep are dipped in such a preparation.

sheepdog

sheep dog |ˈSHēpˌdôg, -ˌdäg ˈʃipˌdɔɡ | ▶noun a dog trained to guard and herd sheep. • a dog of a breed suitable for this.

sheepdog trials

sheep dog tri als ▶plural noun a public competitive display of the skills of sheepdogs.

sheepfold

sheep fold |ˈSHēpˌfōld ˈʃipˌfoʊld | ▶noun a sheep pen.

sheepish

sheep ish |ˈSHēpiSH ˈʃipɪʃ | ▶adjective (of a person or expression ) showing embarrassment from shame or a lack of self-confidence: a sheepish grin. DERIVATIVES sheep ish ly adverb, sheep ish ness noun

sheep laurel

sheep lau rel ▶noun a North American kalmia that is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental. [Kalmia angustifolia, family Ericaceae. ]

sheeple

shee ple ▶plural noun informal , derogatory people compared to sheep in being docile, foolish, or easily led: by the time the sheeple wake up and try to change things, it will be too late. ORIGIN 1940s: blend of sheep and people .

sheepman

sheep man |ˈSHēpmən ˈʃipmən | ▶noun ( pl. sheepmen ) a sheep rancher.

sheep run

sheep run (also sheep station ) ▶noun (esp. in Australia ) an extensive tract of land on which sheep are pastured.

sheep's-bit

sheep's-bit ▶noun a blue-flowered European plant which resembles a scabious. ●Jasione montana, family Campanulaceae.

sheep scab

sheep scab ▶noun an intensely itching skin disease of sheep caused by a parasitic mite. [The mite is Psoroptes communis, family Psoroptidae. ]

sheepshank

sheep shank |ˈSHēpˌSHaNGk ˈʃipˌʃæŋk | ▶noun a kind of knot used to shorten a rope temporarily.

sheepshead

sheeps head |ˈSHēpsˌhed ˈʃipsˌhɛd | ▶noun ( pl. same ) any of a number of boldly marked edible game fishes that live in warm American waters. [● a black and silver striped porgy of Atlantic coastal and brackish waters (Archosargus probatocephalus, family Sparidae ). ● ( California sheepshead ) a black and red wrasse of Californian coastal waters (Semicossyphus pulcher, family Labridae ).]

sheepskin

sheep skin |ˈSHēpˌskin ˈʃipˌskɪn | ▶noun a sheep's skin with the wool on, esp. when made into a garment or rug: [ as modifier ] : a sheepskin coat. • leather from a sheep's skin used in bookbinding. • informal a diploma.

sheep sorrel

sheep sor rel ▶noun a sorrel that is common on acid soils in north temperate regions. [Rumex acetosella, family Polygonaceae. ]

sheep tick

sheep tick ▶noun a large tick that infests many mammals, including humans, and frequently transmits diseases. [Ixodes ricinus, family Ixodidae. ]

sheep walk

sheep walk ▶noun Brit. a tract of land on which sheep are pastured.

Oxford Dictionary

sheep

sheep |ʃiːp | ▶noun ( pl. same ) 1 a domesticated ruminant mammal with a thick woolly coat and (typically only in the male ) curving horns. It is kept in flocks for its wool or meat, and is proverbial for its tendency to follow others in the flock. ●Ovis aries, family Bovidae, descended from the wild mouflon. • a wild mammal related to this, such as the argali, bighorn, bharal, and urial. 2 used with reference to people who are too easily influenced or led: party members should not follow their leader like sheep. 3 a person regarded as a protected follower of God. [with biblical allusion to Luke 15:6. ] • a member of a minister's congregation. PHRASES count sheep count imaginary sheep jumping over a fence one by one in an attempt to send oneself to sleep. make sheep's eyes at someone look at someone in a foolishly amorous way. DERIVATIVES sheeplike adjective ORIGIN Old English scēp, scǣp, scēap, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch schaap and German Schaf .

sheep bot

sheep bot ▶noun see nostril fly.

sheep dip

sheep dip ▶noun [ mass noun ] a liquid preparation used to rid sheep of external parasites. • [ count noun ] a trough or similar container in which sheep are immersed in sheep dip.

sheepdog

sheep |dog |ˈʃiːpdɒg | ▶noun a dog trained to guard and herd sheep. • a dog of a breed suitable for guarding and herding sheep.

sheepdog trials

sheep |dog trials ▶plural noun a public competitive display of the skills of sheepdogs.

sheepfold

sheep |fold |ˈʃiːpfəʊld | ▶noun a sheep pen.

sheepish

sheep |ish |ˈʃiːpɪʃ | ▶adjective showing or feeling embarrassment from shame or a lack of self-confidence: a sheepish grin. DERIVATIVES sheepishly adverb, sheepishness noun

sheep laurel

sheep laurel ▶noun a North American kalmia which is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental. ●Kalmia angustifolia, family Ericaceae.

sheeple

sheeple |ˈʃiːp (ə )l | ▶plural noun derogatory people compared to sheep in being docile, foolish, or easily led: by the time the sheeple wake up and try to change things, it will be too late. ORIGIN 1940s: blend of sheep and people .

sheepman

sheep man |ˈSHēpmən ˈʃipmən | ▶noun ( pl. sheepmen ) a sheep rancher.

sheep run

sheep run ▶noun (especially in Australia ) an extensive tract of land on which sheep are pastured.

sheep's-bit

sheep's-bit ▶noun a blue-flowered European plant which resembles a scabious. ●Jasione montana, family Campanulaceae.

sheep scab

sheep scab ▶noun [ mass noun ] an intensely itching skin disease of sheep caused by a parasitic mite. ●The mite is Psoroptes communis, family Psoroptidae.

sheepshank

sheep |shank |ˈʃiːpʃaŋk | ▶noun a kind of knot used to shorten a rope temporarily, made by taking two bights of rope and securing them to the standing rope with two half hitches.

sheepshead

sheeps |head ▶noun ( pl. same ) any of a number of boldly marked edible game fishes which live in warm American waters. ● a black-and-silver-striped porgy of Atlantic coastal and brackish waters (Archosargus probatocephalus, family Sparidae ). ● ( California sheepshead ) a black and red wrasse of Californian coastal waters (Semicossyphus pulcher, family Labridae ).

sheepskin

sheep |skin |ˈʃiːpskɪn | ▶noun 1 a sheep's skin with the wool on, especially when made into a garment or rug: [ as modifier ] : a sheepskin coat. • [ mass noun ] leather from a sheep's skin used in bookbinding. 2 (in South Africa ) a party with country dancing. [originally held to celebrate sheep shearing. ]

sheep sorrel

sheep sor rel ▶noun a sorrel that is common on acid soils in north temperate regions. [Rumex acetosella, family Polygonaceae. ]

sheep tick

sheep tick ▶noun a large tick that infests many mammals, including humans, and frequently transmits diseases. ●Ixodes ricinus, family Ixodidae.

sheep walk

sheep walk ▶noun Brit. a tract of land on which sheep are pastured.

American Oxford Thesaurus

sheep

sheep noun a herder of sheep: ram, ewe, lamb, wether, bellwether. WORD LINKS ovine relating to sheep Word Links sections supply words that are related to the headword but do not normally appear in a thesaurus because they are not actual synonyms.

sheepish

sheepish adjective stop looking so sheepish and come on in: embarrassed, uncomfortable, hangdog, self-conscious; shamefaced, ashamed, abashed, mortified, chastened, remorseful, contrite, apologetic, rueful, regretful, penitent, repentant.

Oxford Thesaurus

sheep

sheep noun ram, ewe, lamb, wether, bellwether; Brit. tup; Austral. informal jumbuck, woolly. WORD LINKS sheep ram male ewe female lamb young ovine relating to sheep flock, herd collective noun Word Links sections supply words that are related to the headword but do not normally appear in a thesaurus because they are not actual synonyms.

sheepish

sheepish adjective Sam looked sheepish and apologetic: embarrassed, uncomfortable, hangdog, self-conscious; shamefaced, ashamed, abashed, mortified, chastened, chagrined; remorseful, contrite, rueful, regretful, penitent, repentant; shy, bashful, diffident. ANTONYMS unabashed.

Sanseido Wisdom Dictionary

sheep

sheep /ʃiːp /〖4 の意は16世紀から〗名詞複～1 C ヒツジ (!鳴き声はbaa, 「メーと鳴く」は動詞 bleat; →ram , ewe , lamb ) ▸ flock [herd ] of sheep 羊の群れ ▸ You may as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb .｟ことわざ｠子羊を盗んで縛り首になるなら親羊を盗んだ方がましだ ; 「毒を食らわば皿まで」.2 C ｟非難して｠〖しばしば複数扱い〗主体性のない人々 .3 U 羊皮 .4 C 気の弱い人 ; 臆病（おくびよう）な人 ; 愚かな人 .5 C 〖the ～〗(1つの教会の )信者 .c ò unt sh é ep (柵（さく）を跳び越える )羊の数を数える (!眠れない時のまじない ) .like sh é ep ｟非難して｠〈人々が〉主体性のない, こぞってまねをして ▸ follow like sheep 言いなりになる m à ke sh è ep's é yes at A →eye .s è parate the sh è ep from the g ó ats 能力 [見込み ]のある人を選別する .the bl à ck sh é ep of the f á mily 一家のやっかい者 .

sheep-dip

sh é ep-d ì p 名詞 U C 洗羊液〘害虫駆除のために羊を浸す消毒液〙; C 洗羊槽 .

sheepdog

sh é ep d ò g 名詞 C (一般に )牧羊犬 ; (種類としての )牧羊犬〘collieなど〙.

sheepfold

sh é ep f ò ld 名詞 C 羊の囲い, 羊舎 .

sheepish

sheep ish /ʃíːpɪʃ /形容詞きまりの悪い, 気恥ずかしい ; 内気な, 気の弱い, おどおどした .～ly 副詞～ness 名詞

sheeple

shee ple /ʃíːp (ə )l /〖shee p ＋peo ple 〗名詞｟けなして｠〖複数扱い〗大勢に従順 [盲目的 ]に従う人 .

sheepskin

sh é ep sk ì n 名詞 1 U 羊の毛皮 .2 C 羊皮のコート [帽子など ].3 U 羊皮紙〘製本用〙; C 羊皮紙の書類 .4 C ｟米くだけて｠卒業証書 (diploma ).