sheeplike en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈʃip.laɪk/ (US)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *skēpą Proto-West Germanic *skāp Old English sċēap Middle English schep English sheep Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-West Germanic *-līk Old English -līċ Middle English -like English -like English sheeplike From sheep + -like.
Meanings
-
Resembling a sheep: docile or uncomplaining, or willing to follow a leader blindly.
Occasionally I succumb to the vibrations in the atmosphere and follow, sheeplike, the movements of the crowd.
1981 December 19, Nancy Walker, “Taxi, Shmaxi!”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 22, page 12:I was horrified by their sheeplike acquiescence.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most sheeplike | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more sheeplike | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| sheep-like | alternative | lexicographic |