Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense shepherds, present participle shepherding, past tense, past participle shepherded
1. countable noun
A shepherd is a person, especially a man, whose job is to look after sheep.
Synonyms: drover, stockman, or woman">herdsman or woman [British], herder More Synonyms of shepherd
2. verb [usually passive]
If you are shepherded somewhere, someone takes you there to make sure that you arrive at the right place safely.
She was shepherded by her guards up the rear ramp of the aircraft. [beVERB-ed preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: guide, conduct, lead, steer More Synonyms of shepherd
shepherd in British English
(ˈʃɛpəd)
noun
1.
a person employed to tend sheep
Female equivalent: shepherdess ▶ Related adjectives: bucolic, pastoral
2.
a person, such as a member of the clergy, who watches over or guides a group of people
verb(transitive)
3.
to guide or watch over in the manner of a shepherd
4. Australian Rules football
to prevent opponents from tackling (a member of one's own team) by blocking their path
Word origin
from Old English sceaphirde. See sheep, herd2
Shepherd in British English
noun
astronomy
a small moon of (e.g.) Saturn orbiting close to the rings and partly responsible for ring stability
shepherd in American English
(ˈʃɛpərd)
noun
1.
a person who herds and takes care of sheep
2.
a leader of a group; esp., a minister
3.
UNRESOLVED CROSS REF
verb transitive
4.
to tend, herd, guard, or lead as or like a shepherd
Word origin
ME shephirde < OE sceaphyrde: see sheep & herd2
Examples of 'shepherd' in a sentence
shepherd
We were all shepherds or all sheep or all neither.
Christianity Today (2000)
He was a shepherd and people followed him.
The Sun (2006)
There are few more intelligent breeds than the German shepherd.
Jan Fennell, Foreword by Monty Roberts THE DOG LISTENER: Learning the Language of your Best Friend (2002)
Until now his only culinary boast has been that he makes a mean shepherd's pie.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He would sit with his tutor in the palace at sunset, watching shepherds bring their animals back from pasture.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Racing move up quickly and then look to shepherd the opposition wide, to use the touchline as an extra defender.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They were shivering outside in the rain like biblical shepherds, watching their flocks of celebrity sheep get themselves into all kinds of trouble.
The Sun (2011)
It looks out over rolling hills, a 15th-century castle and fields where shepherds tend their flocks.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It is a good alternative to shepherd's pie or lasagne, and could be made in stages.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Quotations
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not wantBible: Psalm 23
Word lists with
shepherd
Terms used in Australian Rules Football
In other languages
shepherd
British English: shepherd /ˈʃɛpəd/ NOUN
A shepherd is a person whose job is to look after sheep.
American English: shepherd
Arabic: راعٍ
Brazilian Portuguese: pastor gados
Chinese: 牧羊人
Croatian: pastir
Czech: pastýř
Danish: hyrde
Dutch: herder
European Spanish: pastor ovejas
Finnish: paimen
French: berger
German: Schäfer
Greek: βοσκός
Italian: pastore
Japanese: 羊飼い
Korean: 양치기
Norwegian: gjeter
Polish: pasterz
European Portuguese: pastor gados
Romanian: cioban
Russian: пастух
Latin American Spanish: pastor
Swedish: fårherde
Thai: คนเลี้ยงแกะ
Turkish: çoban
Ukrainian: пастух
Vietnamese: người chăn cừu
British English: shepherd VERB
If you are shepherded somewhere, someone takes you there to make sure that you arrive at the right place safely.
She was shepherded by her guards up the rear ramp of the aircraft.
American English: shepherd
Brazilian Portuguese: guiar
Chinese: 护送
European Spanish: acompañar
French: escorter
German: führen
Italian: guidare
Japanese: 案内される
Korean: 인도되다
European Portuguese: guiar
Latin American Spanish: acompañar
All related terms of 'shepherd'
Good Shepherd
a title given to Jesus Christ in John 10:11–12
shepherd boy
a boy employed to tend sheep
shepherd dog
a dog used for herding sheep
German shepherd
one of a breed of large shepherd dogs having a coat ranging in color from gray to brindled , black-and-tan, or black, used esp. in police work and as a guide for blind people
shepherd's pie
Shepherd's pie is a dish consisting of minced meat, usually lamb , covered with a layer of mashed potato.
shepherd's check
a pattern of small checks formed by stripes of black and white
shepherd's crook
a long pole with a large hook at the end, used by a shepherd
shepherd's needle
a European umbelliferous plant, Scandix pectenveneris, with long needle-like fruits
shepherd's plaid
a checkered black and white pattern
shepherd's-purse
a plant, Capsella bursa-pastoris, having small white flowers and flattened triangular seed pods : family Brassicaceae ( crucifers )
Belgian shepherd dog
a medium-sized well-proportioned dog of a breed that resembles an Alsatian in appearance and is often used as a sheepdog or a guard dog
Anatolian shepherd dog
a large powerfully-built dog of a breed with a large head and a short dense cream or fawn coat, originally used for guarding sheep
shepherd's weatherglass
a weedy primulaceous plant, Anagallis arvensis, of temperate regions, having small red, purple , or white star-shaped flowers that close in bad weather
Alsatian
An Alsatian is a large, usually fierce dog that is often used to guard buildings or by the police to help them find criminals.
sheepdog
A sheepdog is a breed of dog. Some sheepdogs are used for controlling sheep.
German sheep dog
a large wolflike breed of dog often used as a guard or guide dog and by the police