lamb
/lam
/noun
1A young sheep.More than 90% of the sheep were marked as lambs, and all rams were individually identifiable....
- We are told that dogs are presently loose in the fields at night, and are a danger to the sheep and their young lambs.
- A farmer has lost all his sheep, 300 lambs among them, shot by young men from Her Majesty's Armed Forces, whose sergeant had been reduced to hidden tears.
1.1 [mass noun] The flesh of a lamb as food: we had roast lamb for supper [as modifier]: lamb chops...
- Grilled steak, pork roast, sautéed lamb chops, or roast chicken would make a perfect pairing.
- Main courses included roast beef, lamb and pork from the carvery, steak and kidney pie, poached chicken with mushroom and asparagus sauce and vegetable lasagne.
- You need best end of neck lamb chops but don't over-trim them; leave a little fat on for flavour.
1.2Used figuratively as a symbol of meekness or innocence: he accepted her decision like a lamb...
- The singer is admitting to the listener that he is feigning the innocence of a lamb in order to get close to Little Red.
- Thank God for all right thinking parents out there who have shielded the innocent lambs of the world from this menace.
- Me, I'd rather sit here eating a Tootsie Roll Pop, innocent as a newborn lamb, and not worry about stuff like the police.
1.3Used to describe or address someone regarded with affection or pity, especially a young child: the poor lamb is very upset...
- They seem to be okay now, though, the poor lambs.
- As for the poor lambs, well they're still being killed.
- How else would the poor lambs get a decent break before being slaughtered in the main event of the winter?
verb
1 [no object] (Of a ewe) give birth to lambs: Shetland sheep lamb very easily...
- With ewes lambing now, lambs for slaughter are in short supply.
- The RSPCA was the first agency to begin making a real difference to animal welfare problems when it became clear that thousands of ewes were lambing in appalling conditions, because of movement restrictions.
- If the first few ewes lamb with poor milk supply - seek help and take action.
1.1 [with object] Tend (ewes) at lambing time: I lambed a flock of 30 ewes for a neighbour...
- ‘All the ewes are lambed inside and stay inside for about 48 hours to mother them up so that they don't get separated when they go out, hopefully into the sunshine on Bredon Hill,’ Mr Freestone said.
- Mr Chambers and his wife Wendy, who keep a herd of Hebridean sheep on their smallholding near Monkton Farleigh, are busy lambing this week.
- I, for my part, have to confess to you I have a little sheep farm and I was lambing before I came here this morning.
2 [with object] (lamb someone down) Australian /NZ informal, dated Encourage someone to squander their money, especially on alcohol: Pitt had been lambed down at the Pig and Whistle
Phrases
in lamb
the Lamb of God (also the Lamb)
like a lamb to the slaughter
Derivatives
lamber
- A resumption of lamb sales in the marts would bring much needed competition to the sheep market and also allow hill sheep producers and late lambers to sell.
- Against all predictions, trade was better, especially in the Suffolk Cross breeding section, where purchasers were looking for a few early lambers.
- During the lunch hour, I was waiting for the lambers to get back, and I waited all alone in a big field of about 100 pregnant ewes, the last of the herd to come through.
lamblike
- If the general was a tiger, his staff officers were selected from the lambs; if he was lamblike, then they were chosen for their tigerishness.
- The camels ‘exhibited the most lamblike docility,’ the local newspaper reported.
- Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness.
Origin
Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch lam and German Lamm.