sheep S2 W3 /ʃiːp/ BrE AmE noun ( plural sheep ) [countable]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: sceap ]
1 .
a farm animal that is kept for its wool and its meat:
Sheep were grazing on the hillside.
a sheep farmer
flock of sheep (=a group of sheep) ⇨ ↑ lamb 1
2 . like sheep if people behave like sheep, they do not think independently, but follow what everyone else does or thinks:
Tourists were led around like sheep, from shrine to souvenir shop.
3 . separate the sheep from the goats British English to find out which people are intelligent, skilful, successful etc, and which are not:
This test should really separate the sheep from the goats.
4 . make sheep’s eyes at somebody old-fashioned to look at someone in a way that shows you love them
⇨ ↑ black sheep , ⇨ count sheep at ↑ count 1 (12), ⇨ a wolf in sheep’s clothing at ↑ wolf 1 (2)