lamb
gb/lˈæm/ us/lˈæm/
A2
English
~ 8500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
a young sheep
A baby sheep.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes pronounce the silent "b" and say *lam-b*. The correct pronunciation is /læm/. They may also confuse this animal meaning with the food meaning; use "a lamb" for the animal but usually "some lamb" for the meat.
Synonyms
young sheep (A descriptive phrase that explains the meaning directly but is not used as a fixed noun like "lamb".)
Antonyms
adult sheep (Refers to a fully grown sheep, which is the opposite life stage of a lamb.)
Collocations
newborn lamb
|little lamb
|spring lamb
|orphan lamb
|ewe and lamb
|lambing season
Themes
animals
|nature
|farming
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The lamb followed its mother across the field.
- We saw a newborn lamb lying in the straw.
- In spring, the hillside was covered with sheep and lambs.
- The children took turns feeding the orphan lamb with a bottle.
- Each ewe usually has one or two lambs every year.
Learner examples
- The lamb is small and white.
- A lamb is a baby sheep.
- The lamb runs after its mother.
- We saw three lambs on the farm.
Noun
A2
entity
2
meat from a young sheep
Meat from a young sheep that people eat.
Usage pattern:
eat [lamb] for [meal]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *a lamb* when they mean the food, e.g. *I ate a lamb*. Use uncountable forms like "some lamb" or a specific dish like "a lamb chop". They may also confuse "lamb" with "mutton"; "mutton" is meat from an older sheep and tastes stronger.
Synonyms
lamb meat (A more explicit phrase that makes clear you are talking about the food, not the animal.)
Antonyms
beef (Meat from cattle; used as a contrasting type of red meat to lamb.)
Collocations
roast lamb
|lamb chops
|leg of lamb
|grilled lamb
|lamb curry
|lamb stew
Themes
food
|cooking
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
Examples
- We had roast lamb and vegetables for Sunday lunch.
- She ordered lamb chops with mint sauce.
- The recipe calls for 500 grams of minced lamb.
- He doesn’t eat lamb because he finds the taste too strong.
- They slow-cooked a leg of lamb for the holiday meal.
Learner examples
- We ate lamb for dinner.
- My mother cooked lamb with rice.
- He does not like lamb.
- She bought some lamb at the supermarket.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
3
gentle or innocent person
A very gentle and innocent person, often a child; also a sweet name you call someone you care about.
Usage pattern:
call [someone] a [poor/little] lamb
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this still refers to the animal and translate it literally. In sentences like "You poor lamb", it means a person, not a sheep. It is usually used for someone you feel sorry for or care about, and it sounds informal and often a bit motherly.
Synonyms
sweetheart (A common affectionate term; it does not carry the same strong sense of innocence or helplessness that "lamb" can suggest.)
Antonyms
bully (A bully is someone who hurts or frightens weaker people, the opposite of a gentle, harmless "lamb".)
Collocations
poor lamb
|you little lamb
|innocent lamb
|helpless lamb
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Come here, you poor lamb, you look exhausted.
- She’s such a lamb; she always does what everyone else wants.
- That little lamb of a boy didn’t deserve to be shouted at like that.
- They treated him like a lamb who needed constant protection.
- Don’t be such a lamb—stand up for yourself once in a while.
Learner examples
- Come here, my little lamb.
- He is a lamb; he never gets angry.
- You poor lamb, you look so tired.
- She is a lamb and trusts everyone.
Verb
technical
C1
action
4
(of sheep) to give birth
When a sheep gives birth to baby sheep (lambs).
Usage pattern:
[a sheep] lambs in [time/season]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this verb means "to eat lamb" or "to become a lamb". As a verb, it is technical farming language and only describes sheep giving birth.
Synonyms
give birth (A general verb for all animals and humans; "lamb" is specific to sheep producing lambs.)
Antonyms
miscarry (To lose the young before birth, which is the opposite outcome to successfully lambing.)
Collocations
ewes lamb
|to lamb indoors
|to lamb outdoors
|lambing season
|to lamb early
Themes
animals
|farming
|science
|nature
Examples
- Most of the ewes will lamb in late March.
- We prefer our flock to lamb indoors to protect the newborns from the cold.
- The farmer stayed up all night to help the older ewe lamb safely.
- On this farm, the sheep usually lamb once a year.
- If they lamb too early, the weather can be dangerous for the newborns.
Learner examples
- The ewes will lamb in spring.
- The farmer helps the sheep when they lamb.
- On this farm, the sheep lamb indoors.
- Three sheep lambed last night.
Noun
literary
C1
entity
5
religious symbol of Christ
In Christian religion, a special name and picture for Jesus as a lamb that is killed as an offering to God.
Usage pattern:
the [Lamb of God]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that "the Lamb" with a capital "L" is a title for Jesus and not a real animal. In religious texts, it is symbolic and should usually be translated as a name or title, not as a literal sheep.
Synonyms
Christ (The central name for Jesus; "Lamb" is a specific symbolic title used mainly in religious contexts.)
Antonyms
the Devil (In Christian belief, the Devil is the main evil being, opposed to Christ, who is symbolized as the Lamb.)
Collocations
Lamb of God
|the sacrificial Lamb
|Paschal lamb
|the Lamb who was slain
Themes
religion
|literature
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The hymn praises the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
- In the painting, Christ is shown as a lamb holding a small flag.
- The book explains why early Christians called Jesus the sacrificial Lamb.
- Revelation describes worship offered to the Lamb on the throne.
- The image of the Lamb emphasizes innocence and sacrifice in Christian theology.
Learner examples
- In church, they sang about the Lamb of God.
- Some Christians call Jesus the Lamb.
- This picture shows a lamb as a sign of Jesus.
- The Bible uses a lamb to talk about sacrifice.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lamb
IPA
GB/lˈæm/
US/lˈæm/
Syllables & stress
lamb (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (lamb)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: lamb
- Plural: lamb, lambs
Verb
- Base: lamb
- 3rd Person Singular: lambs
- Present Participle: lambing
- Past: lambed
Word family
Expressions
as gentle as a lamb
1/ˈæz d͡ʒˈɛntəl ˈæz ə lˈæm/
idiom
very quiet and gentle
Very gentle, calm, and kind; not angry or violent at all.
Examples
- Their dog looks big and scary, but he’s as gentle as a lamb.
- The children were as gentle as lambs with the new baby.
- Once you get to know her, you’ll see she’s as gentle as a lamb.
Lamb of God
1/lˈæm əv ɡˈɑd/
fixed phrase
literary
Christian title for Jesus
A special Christian name for Jesus that shows him as a lamb who is killed as a sacrifice to take away sin.
Examples
- The choir sang "Lamb of God" at the end of the service.
- In Christian art, the Lamb of God is often shown with a cross or a flag.
- The priest spoke about Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
like a lamb to the slaughter
1/lˈaɪk ə lˈæm tə ðə slˈɔtɚ/
idiom
go innocently into danger
To go into a very bad or dangerous situation without understanding the danger and without trying to stop it.
Examples
- He walked into the meeting like a lamb to the slaughter, not knowing they were going to fire him.
- The young soldiers were sent to the front like lambs to the slaughter.
- She signed the contract like a lamb to the slaughter, trusting the salesman completely.
sacrificial lamb
1/sˌækɹəfˈɪʃəl lˈæm/
fixed phrase
person made to suffer for others
A person or thing that is chosen to be hurt, blamed, or lost so that other people are safe or look good.
Examples
- The junior manager became the sacrificial lamb after the project failed.
- Some fans felt the coach was used as a sacrificial lamb to protect the owners.
- They offered up one department as a sacrificial lamb to save the rest of the company.
mutton dressed as lamb
1/mˈʌtən dɹˈɛst ˈæz lˈæm/
idiom
informal
older woman dressed too youthfully
Used to describe an older person, usually a woman, who wears clothes that look suitable for a much younger person.
Examples
- She said the bright pink mini dress made her feel like mutton dressed as lamb.
- The tabloids cruelly described the celebrity as mutton dressed as lamb after the awards show.
- Some critics complained that the actress looked like mutton dressed as lamb on the red carpet.
- She worries about looking like mutton dressed as lamb if she wears that short skirt.
- He doesn’t want to look like mutton dressed as lamb, so he chooses simple, classic clothes.
- Some people call older women in teenage fashion "mutton dressed as lamb," but the phrase can sound rude.