black sheep

black sheep
noun
1. a reckless and unprincipled reprobate
• Syn: ↑scapegrace
• Hypernyms: ↑reprobate, ↑miscreant
2. sheep with a black coat
• Hypernyms: ↑sheep

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noun
1. : a recessive black-fleeced individual in a flock of normally white-fleeced sheep — compare melanism 1a
2. : a member of a group that stands in conspicuous and unfavorable contrast to the other members especially by reason of socially undesirable characteristics or behavior

he's the black sheep of his family

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1. a sheep with black fleece.
2. a person who causes shame or embarrassment because of deviation from the accepted standards of his or her group.
[1785-95]

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black sheep noun
A disreputable member of a family or group
• • •
Main Entry: ↑black
————————
black sheep
The disreputable member of a family or group
• • •
Main Entry: ↑sheep

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black sheep UK US noun [countable] [singular black sheep plural ˌblack ˈsheep]
someone who is not approved of by the other members of their family or the group they belong to because they are thought to behave badly
Thesaurus: general words for family membershyponym

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black sheep,
a worthless member of a respectable family; scoundrel.

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n. informal a member of a family or group who is regarded as a disgrace to them

the black sheep of the family

Origin:
late 18th cent.: from the proverb there is a black sheep in every flock

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noun, pl ⋯ sheep [count]
: someone who does not fit in with the rest of a group and is often considered to be a troublemaker or an embarrassment

She was the black sheep of the family.

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ˌblack ˈsheep noun usually singular
a person who is different from the rest of their family or another group, and who is considered bad or embarrassing

•

the black sheep of the family

 
Word Origin:
[black sheep] late 18th cent.: from the proverb there is a black sheep in every flock.

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black sheep
see sheep.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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