ovis aries

2 definitions found

ovis aries - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Sheep \Sheep\, n. sing. & pl. [OE. shep, scheep, AS. sc?p,
     sce['a]p; akin to OFries. sk?p, LG. & D. schaap, G. schaf,
     OHG. sc[=a]f, Skr. ch[=a]ga. [root]295. Cf. Sheepherd.]
     1. (Zool.) Any one of several species of ruminants of the
        genus Ovis, native of the higher mountains of both
        hemispheres, but most numerous in Asia.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The domestic sheep (Ovis aries) varies much in size,
           in the length and texture of its wool, the form and
           size of its horns, the length of its tail, etc. It was
           domesticated in prehistoric ages, and many distinct
           breeds have been produced; as the merinos, celebrated
           for their fine wool; the Cretan sheep, noted for their
           long horns; the fat-tailed, or Turkish, sheep,
           remarkable for the size and fatness of the tail, which
           often has to be supported on trucks; the Southdowns, in
           which the horns are lacking; and an Asiatic breed which
           always has four horns.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A weak, bashful, silly fellow. --Ainsworth.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. pl. Fig.: The people of God, as being under the government
        and protection of Christ, the great Shepherd.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Rocky mountain sheep.(Zool.) See Bighorn.
  
     Maned sheep. (Zool.) See Aoudad.
  
     Sheep bot (Zool.), the larva of the sheep botfly. See
        Estrus.
  
     Sheep dog (Zool.), a shepherd dog, or collie.
  
     Sheep laurel (Bot.), a small North American shrub (Kalmia  angustifolia
        ) with deep rose-colored flowers in corymbs.
        
  
     Sheep pest (Bot.), an Australian plant (Acaena ovina)
        related to the burnet. The fruit is covered with barbed
        spines, by which it adheres to the wool of sheep.
  
     Sheep run, an extensive tract of country where sheep range
        and graze.
  
     Sheep's beard (Bot.), a cichoraceous herb (Urospermum  Dalechampii
        ) of Southern Europe; -- so called from the
        conspicuous pappus of the achenes.
  
     Sheep's bit (Bot.), a European herb (Jasione montana)
        having much the appearance of scabious.
  
     Sheep pox (Med.), a contagious disease of sheep,
        characterixed by the development of vesicles or pocks upon
        the skin.
  
     Sheep scabious. (Bot.) Same as Sheep's bit.
  
     Sheep shears, shears in which the blades form the two ends
        of a steel bow, by the elasticity of which they open as
        often as pressed together by the hand in cutting; -- so
        called because used to cut off the wool of sheep.
  
     Sheep sorrel. (Bot.), a prerennial herb (Rumex  Acetosella
        ) growing naturally on poor, dry, gravelly
        soil. Its leaves have a pleasant acid taste like sorrel.
        
  
     Sheep's-wool (Zool.), the highest grade of Florida
        commercial sponges (Spongia equina, variety gossypina).
        
  
     Sheep tick (Zool.), a wingless parasitic insect
        (Melophagus ovinus) belonging to the Diptera. It fixes
        its proboscis in the skin of the sheep and sucks the
        blood, leaving a swelling. Called also sheep pest, and
        sheep louse.
  
     Sheep walk, a pasture for sheep; a sheep run.
  
     Wild sheep. (Zool.) See Argali, Mouflon, and Oorial.
        [1913 Webster]

ovis aries - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Ovis aries
      n 1: any of various breeds raised for wool or edible meat or
           skin [syn: domestic sheep, Ovis aries]