lamb
pronunciation
How to pronounce lamb in British English:
UK [læm]
How to pronounce lamb in American English:
US [læm]
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- Noun:
- young sheep
- a person easily deceived or cheated (especially in financial matters)
- a sweet innocent mild-mannered person (especially a child)
- the flesh of a young domestic sheep eaten as food
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- Verb:
- give birth to a lamb
Word Origin
- lamb
- lamb: [OE] Lamb is a widespread word throughout the Germanic languages (German and Swedish have lamm and Dutch and Danish have lam), but no connections have ever been established with any animal-names in non- Germanic languages. In Gothic, lamb was used for ‘adult sheep’ as well as ‘lamb’.
- lamb (n.)
- Old English lamb "lamb," from Proto-Germanic *lambaz (cognates: Old Norse, Old Frisian, Gothic lamb, Middle Dutch, Dutch lam, Middle High German lamp, German Lamm "lamb"). Common to the Germanic languages, but with no certain cognates outside them. Old English plural was lomberu. Applied to persons (especially young Church members, gentle souls, etc.) from late Old English. Also sometimes used ironically for cruel or rough characters (such as Kirke's Lambs in wars of 1684-86). Lamb's-wool (adj.) is from 1550s.
Example
- 1. Butcher : do you want beef or lamb ?
- 2. But she is studying theology , poor lamb .
- 3. Mix all the dry ingredients together with the lamb mince .
- 4. I 'm a lamb . I 'm your daughter .
- 5. A lamb whose throat is not cut and does not bleed is not really much of an offering .