sheep's-head
Definition
Noun:
- A type of fish: "sheep's-head" refers to a marine fish, Archosargus probatocephalus, found along the Atlantic coast of North America, known for its prominent incisor teeth resembling those of a sheep.
- A foolish person: In informal or derogatory usage, "sheep's-head" can denote a person who is considered stupid, naive, or lacking intelligence (similar to "blockhead").
Adjective (rare):
- Stupid or foolish: Used attributively to describe someone as dim-witted.
- He gave a sheep's-head answer to the question. (A foolish response.)
Usage Examples
Noun (fish):
- We caught a large sheep's-head off the pier yesterday. (A specific type of fish.)
- Sheep's-head is known for its strong, bony mouth and tasty flesh. (The fish species.)
Noun (person):
- Don't be such a sheep's-head; think before you act! (A foolish person.)
- He's a sheep's-head who never learns from his mistakes. (An insult meaning someone is stupid.)
Advanced Usage
"to make a sheep's-head of oneself": to behave foolishly.
- He made a sheep's-head of himself at the party by telling bad jokes. (He acted stupidly.)
"sheep's-head stew": a dish made from the fish.
- The local restaurant serves a delicious sheep's-head stew. (A culinary preparation.)
Variants and Related Words
Sheephead (n): an alternative spelling, often used interchangeably.
- The sheephead is a popular game fish. (Same fish species.)
Sheepheaded (adj): stubborn or foolish (rare).
- His sheepheaded refusal to listen cost him the deal. (Stubbornly foolish.)
Synonyms
- Fish: , (related fish species).
- Fool: , , (all refer to a stupid person).
Phrasal Verbs
- (None directly associated with "sheep's-head"; the word is primarily a noun.)
Related Idioms
"like a sheep's-head": to describe someone as dull or slow-witted.
- He stared at the problem like a sheep's-head, unable to solve it. (He looked foolishly confused.)
"to have a sheep's-head": to be stubborn or foolish.
- She has a sheep's-head for ignoring good advice. (She is foolishly stubborn.)