Hogg
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun 1. A young sheep: Specifically, a sheep that is less than one year old and has not yet been sheared for the first time. This term is primarily used in Scottish and Northern English dialects. 2. A surname: Referring to James Hogg (1770–1835), a Scottish poet and novelist known for writing about rural life.
Usage Examples
- As a common noun (young sheep):
- The farmer separated the hogg from the older ewes.
- They will shear the hoggs in the spring.
- As a proper noun (surname):
- Hogg's most famous work is The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner.
- We studied a poem by James Hogg.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in specific agricultural contexts to distinguish age groups within a flock. For example, a "hogg lamb" or "hogg" is distinct from a "gimmer" (a young female sheep before she has had lambs) or a "teg" (a sheep in its second year).
Variants and Related Words
- Hogget (noun): A synonym for hogg, also meaning a young sheep, commonly used in the UK and New Zealand. Sometimes it specifies a sheep between one and two years old.
- Hoggish (adjective): This is a different word derived from "hog," meaning greedy or selfish. It is not directly related to the sheep meaning of hogg.
Synonyms
- For the young sheep: hogget, yearling sheep, shearling.
Notes on Meaning
- The meaning of hogg is highly context-dependent. In general English, it is a very uncommon word. When encountered, it will almost always refer either to the young sheep (in agricultural or regional writing) or specifically to the Scottish writer James Hogg (in literary contexts). It is not to be confused with the more common word "hog," which refers to a pig.
Noun
- a sheep up to the age of one year; one yet to be sheared
- Scottish writer of rustic verse (1770-1835)