sheep English · revision 6921

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 825|origins=gmw-pro *skāp}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈʃiːp/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English schep, [[inh|ang|sċēap|t=sheep]], also sċēp, sċǣp,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[gmw-pro|*skāp]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) source also of Old Saxon scāp, Dutch [[m|nl|schaap]] and German [[m|de|Schaf]].^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) The word is not found in Gothic or Scandinavian, and no cognates are known outside Germanic.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) The old Indo-European word for the animal survives in [[ewe]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The animal: about 825 in the OED, before 830 in Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The plural was made the same as the singular in Old English, though Northumbrian had scipo.^(Etymonline) Since Old English the sheep has been a type of timidity and, figuratively, of those under God's care.^(Etymonline) A stupid or timid person, or one easily led, is from the 1540s,^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) and ''to separate the sheep from the goats'' comes from Matthew 25.^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) The wolf in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7) is already in Old English,^(Etymonline) and counting sheep to fall asleep is recorded from 1854.^(Etymonline) [[sheepish|alt=Sheepish]] meant sheeplike before 1200 and bashful from 1693.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 825 – the animal.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1540s – a timid or stupid person.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1693 – sheepish, bashful.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1854 – counting sheep.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A domesticated [[ruminant]] with a thick woolly coat, kept for its wool, meat and milk.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person who is easily led or timid.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(sheep)'' People under the spiritual care of a pastor; a congregation.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sheepless]]

+ * [[sheeplike]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sheepish]]

+ * [[shepherd]]

+ * [[ewe]]

+ * [[ram]]

+ * [[lamb]]

+ * [[mutton]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}