shepherd
pronunciation
How to pronounce shepherd in British English:
UK [ˈʃepəd]
How to pronounce shepherd in American English:
US [ˈʃepərd]
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- Noun:
- a clergyman who watches over a group of people
- a herder of sheep (on an open range); someone who keeps the sheep together in a flock
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- Verb:
- watch over like a shepherd, as a teacher of her pupils
- tend as a shepherd, as of sheep or goats
Word Origin
- shepherd
- shepherd: [OE] Shepherd is of course a compound of sheep and herd – but not herd ‘group of animals’. This is a different herd, meaning ‘herdsman’, which now survives only in compounds (cowherd and goatherd are other examples). It comes from the same Germanic source as herd ‘group of animals’.=> herd, sheep
- shepherd (n.)
- Old English sceaphierde, from sceap "sheep" (see sheep) + hierde "herder," from heord "a herd" (see herd (n.)). Similar formation in Middle Low German, Middle Dutch schaphirde, Middle High German schafhirte, German dialectal Schafhirt. Shepherds customarily were buried with a tuft of wool in hand, to prove on Doomsday their occupation and be excused for often missing Sunday church. Shepherd's pie is recorded from 1877.
- shepherd (v.)
- 1790, "to herd sheep," from shepherd (n.). The metaphoric sense of "watch over or guide" is first recorded 1820. Related: Shepherded; shepherding.
Example
- 1. He is the shepherd and we are his sheep .
- 2. Officers say the german shepherd requires lots of exercise and mental stimulation .
- 3. Today , we read about a shepherd .
- 4. The shepherd , exempt entirely from feudal and religious oppression , was the freest of men in montaillou .
- 5. The job of the keepers of a buddhist temple , after all , is to help shepherd souls into and through the afterlife .