"black sheep" meaning in English

See black sheep in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Audio: en-au-black sheep.ogg [Australia] Forms: black sheep [plural]
Head templates: {{en-noun|black sheep}} black sheep (plural black sheep)
  1. (idiomatic) A nonconformist; an unusual or unconventional person, who may be rejected or disdained by others for this reason. Tags: idiomatic Categories (topical): People Synonyms: maverick Translations (nonconformist): 不墨守成规者 (Chinese Mandarin), zwart schaap [neuter] (Dutch), musta lammas (Finnish), original (French), excentrique [feminine, masculine] (French), μαύρο πρόβατο (mávro próvato) [neuter] (Greek), כִּבְשָׂה שְׁחֹרָה (kivsá shẖorá) [feminine] (Hebrew), fekete bárány (Hungarian), melnā avs [feminine] (Latvian), baltais zvirbulis [masculine] (Latvian), ovelha negra [feminine] (Portuguese), caora dhubh [feminine] (Scottish Gaelic), цр̑на̄ о́вца [Cyrillic, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), бије̑ла̄ вра̏на [Cyrillic] (Serbo-Croatian), бе̑ла̄ вра̏на [Cyrillic, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), cȓnā óvca [Roman, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), bijȇlā vrȁna [Roman, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), bȇlā vrȁna [Roman, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), svart får (Swedish), біла ворона (bila vorona) (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-black_sheep-en-noun-bonPrxIP Disambiguation of People: 49 13 29 9 Disambiguation of 'nonconformist': 90 5 3 1
  2. (idiomatic) A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy. Tags: idiomatic Categories (lifeform): Sheep Synonyms: bad apple Translations (person who is not wholesome): 害群之馬 (Chinese Mandarin), 害群之马 (hàiqúnzhīmǎ) (Chinese Mandarin), 敗類 (Chinese Mandarin), 败类 (bàilèi) (Chinese Mandarin), sort får [neuter] (Danish), zwart schaap [neuter] (Dutch), idaĉo (Esperanto), musta lammas (Finnish), mouton noir [masculine] (French), brebis galeuse [feminine] (French), schwarzes Schaf [neuter] (German), μαύρο πρόβατο (mávro próvato) [neuter] (Greek), svartur sauður [masculine] (Icelandic), pecora nera [feminine] (Italian), 厄介者 (yakkaimono) (alt: やっかいもの) (Japanese), kambing hitam (Malay), czarna owca [feminine] (Polish), ovelha negra [feminine] (Portuguese), парши́вая овца́ (paršívaja ovcá) (english: scabby sheep) [feminine] (Russian), цр̑на̄ о́вца [Cyrillic, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), бије̑ла̄ вра̏на [Cyrillic] (Serbo-Croatian), бе̑ла̄ вра̏на [Cyrillic, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), cȓnā óvca [Roman, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), bijȇlā vrȁna [Roman, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), bȇlā vrȁna [Roman, feminine] (Serbo-Croatian), oveja negra [feminine] (Spanish), svart får [neuter] (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-black_sheep-en-noun-rvHlkBb8 Disambiguation of Sheep: 12 47 7 34 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with topic categories using raw markup, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 20 50 20 10 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 16 62 11 12 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 18 57 16 9 Disambiguation of 'person who is not wholesome': 22 65 9 4
  3. (idiomatic) A worker who refuses to strike; a scab. Tags: idiomatic
    Sense id: en-black_sheep-en-noun-K0eTg5dc
  4. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see black, sheep. Related terms: dark horse, prodigal son, red-headed stepchild, white sheep
    Sense id: en-black_sheep-en-noun-INzM7pdC

Download JSON data for black sheep meaning in English (11.7kB)

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "black sheep",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "black sheep"
      },
      "expansion": "black sheep (plural black sheep)",
      "name": "en-noun"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "49 13 29 9",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "en:People",
          "parents": [
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            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "He always was the black sheep in the family, as an artist among doctors and lawyers.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A nonconformist; an unusual or unconventional person, who may be rejected or disdained by others for this reason."
      ],
      "id": "en-black_sheep-en-noun-bonPrxIP",
      "links": [
        [
          "nonconformist",
          "nonconformist"
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          "unusual"
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          "unconventional"
        ]
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A nonconformist; an unusual or unconventional person, who may be rejected or disdained by others for this reason."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "maverick"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "word": "不墨守成规者"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "zwart schaap"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "word": "musta lammas"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "word": "original"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "excentrique"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "mávro próvato",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "μαύρο πρόβατο"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "roman": "kivsá shẖorá",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "כִּבְשָׂה שְׁחֹרָה"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "word": "fekete bárány"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "lv",
          "lang": "Latvian",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "melnā avs"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "lv",
          "lang": "Latvian",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "baltais zvirbulis"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ovelha negra"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "note": "бе́лая воро́на f (bélaja voróna, literally “white crow”)",
          "sense": "nonconformist"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "caora dhubh"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "цр̑на̄ о́вца"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic"
          ],
          "word": "бије̑ла̄ вра̏на"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "бе̑ла̄ вра̏на"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "Roman",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "cȓnā óvca"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "Roman",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "bijȇlā vrȁna"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "tags": [
            "Roman",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "bȇlā vrȁna"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "word": "svart får"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "90 5 3 1",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "bila vorona",
          "sense": "nonconformist",
          "word": "біла ворона"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "golden child"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "20 50 20 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
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            "Entry maintenance"
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "16 62 11 12",
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          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 57 16 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 47 7 34",
          "kind": "lifeform",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Sheep",
          "orig": "en:Sheep",
          "parents": [
            "Caprines",
            "Livestock",
            "Even-toed ungulates",
            "Agriculture",
            "Animals",
            "Mammals",
            "Applied sciences",
            "Lifeforms",
            "Vertebrates",
            "Sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Life",
            "Chordates",
            "Fundamental",
            "Nature"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2003 April 10, Adam Shatz, “The Native Informant”, in The Nation(US), archived from the original on 2014-06-27",
          "text": "Kissinger, after all, is a figure of renown among the self-appointed leaders of \"the people from whom he stems\" and a frequent speaker at Jewish charity galas, whereas Ajami is a man almost entirely deserted by his people, a pariah at what should be his hour of triumph. In Arnoun, a family friend told me, \"Fouad is a black sheep because of his staunch support for the Israelis.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2021-2022 Winter, Albert Keiser, “Foundation Request”, in SAR Magazine, volume 116, number 3, Louisville, KY: Sons of the American Revolution, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 12, column 1",
          "text": "To get into the SAR, we all do a great deal of research into our families. It can help you connect with your family and learn about your ancestors. If you have a black sheep (we all do), you can learn from them and not do whatever it was that they did. The SAR gives you experiences you wouldn't have had otherwise.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy."
      ],
      "id": "en-black_sheep-en-noun-rvHlkBb8",
      "links": [
        [
          "wholesome",
          "wholesome"
        ],
        [
          "honest",
          "honest"
        ],
        [
          "trustworthy",
          "trustworthy"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "bad apple"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "word": "害群之馬"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "hàiqúnzhīmǎ",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "word": "害群之马"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "word": "敗類"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "bàilèi",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "word": "败类"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "sort får"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "zwart schaap"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "word": "idaĉo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "word": "musta lammas"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "mouton noir"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "brebis galeuse"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "schwarzes Schaf"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "mávro próvato",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "μαύρο πρόβατο"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "svartur sauður"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "pecora nera"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "alt": "やっかいもの",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "yakkaimono",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "word": "厄介者"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "word": "kambing hitam"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "czarna owca"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ovelha negra"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "ru",
          "english": "scabby sheep",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "paršívaja ovcá",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "парши́вая овца́"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "цр̑на̄ о́вца"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic"
          ],
          "word": "бије̑ла̄ вра̏на"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "бе̑ла̄ вра̏на"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "Roman",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "cȓnā óvca"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "Roman",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "bijȇlā vrȁna"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "Roman",
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "bȇlā vrȁna"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "oveja negra"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "22 65 9 4",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "svart får"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1985, Bryn Perrins, Trade Union Law, page 232",
          "text": "It used to be the law that a black sheep could be brought into the fold of conformity: where there were 'recognised terms of employment – a standard created by a collective agreement or award covering a substantial proportion of the employers and workers in any trade or industry […]",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A worker who refuses to strike; a scab."
      ],
      "id": "en-black_sheep-en-noun-K0eTg5dc",
      "links": [
        [
          "worker",
          "worker"
        ],
        [
          "strike",
          "strike"
        ],
        [
          "scab",
          "scab"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A worker who refuses to strike; a scab."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Baa baa black sheep have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, Three bags full."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see black, sheep."
      ],
      "id": "en-black_sheep-en-noun-INzM7pdC",
      "links": [
        [
          "black",
          "black#English"
        ],
        [
          "sheep",
          "sheep#English"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "14 18 3 64",
          "word": "dark horse"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "14 18 3 64",
          "word": "prodigal son"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "14 18 3 64",
          "word": "red-headed stepchild"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "14 18 3 64",
          "word": "white sheep"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "en-au-black sheep.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2e/En-au-black_sheep.ogg/En-au-black_sheep.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/En-au-black_sheep.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "black sheep"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "en:People",
    "en:Sheep"
  ],
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "black sheep",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "black sheep"
      },
      "expansion": "black sheep (plural black sheep)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "dark horse"
    },
    {
      "word": "prodigal son"
    },
    {
      "word": "red-headed stepchild"
    },
    {
      "word": "white sheep"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "He always was the black sheep in the family, as an artist among doctors and lawyers.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A nonconformist; an unusual or unconventional person, who may be rejected or disdained by others for this reason."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "nonconformist",
          "nonconformist"
        ],
        [
          "unusual",
          "unusual"
        ],
        [
          "unconventional",
          "unconventional"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A nonconformist; an unusual or unconventional person, who may be rejected or disdained by others for this reason."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "maverick"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "golden child"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2003 April 10, Adam Shatz, “The Native Informant”, in The Nation(US), archived from the original on 2014-06-27",
          "text": "Kissinger, after all, is a figure of renown among the self-appointed leaders of \"the people from whom he stems\" and a frequent speaker at Jewish charity galas, whereas Ajami is a man almost entirely deserted by his people, a pariah at what should be his hour of triumph. In Arnoun, a family friend told me, \"Fouad is a black sheep because of his staunch support for the Israelis.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2021-2022 Winter, Albert Keiser, “Foundation Request”, in SAR Magazine, volume 116, number 3, Louisville, KY: Sons of the American Revolution, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 12, column 1",
          "text": "To get into the SAR, we all do a great deal of research into our families. It can help you connect with your family and learn about your ancestors. If you have a black sheep (we all do), you can learn from them and not do whatever it was that they did. The SAR gives you experiences you wouldn't have had otherwise.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "wholesome",
          "wholesome"
        ],
        [
          "honest",
          "honest"
        ],
        [
          "trustworthy",
          "trustworthy"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "bad apple"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1985, Bryn Perrins, Trade Union Law, page 232",
          "text": "It used to be the law that a black sheep could be brought into the fold of conformity: where there were 'recognised terms of employment – a standard created by a collective agreement or award covering a substantial proportion of the employers and workers in any trade or industry […]",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A worker who refuses to strike; a scab."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "worker",
          "worker"
        ],
        [
          "strike",
          "strike"
        ],
        [
          "scab",
          "scab"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A worker who refuses to strike; a scab."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Baa baa black sheep have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, Three bags full."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see black, sheep."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "black",
          "black#English"
        ],
        [
          "sheep",
          "sheep#English"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "en-au-black sheep.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2e/En-au-black_sheep.ogg/En-au-black_sheep.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/En-au-black_sheep.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "word": "不墨守成规者"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "zwart schaap"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "word": "musta lammas"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "word": "original"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "excentrique"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "mávro próvato",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "μαύρο πρόβατο"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "roman": "kivsá shẖorá",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "כִּבְשָׂה שְׁחֹרָה"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "word": "fekete bárány"
    },
    {
      "code": "lv",
      "lang": "Latvian",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "melnā avs"
    },
    {
      "code": "lv",
      "lang": "Latvian",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "baltais zvirbulis"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ovelha negra"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "note": "бе́лая воро́на f (bélaja voróna, literally “white crow”)",
      "sense": "nonconformist"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "caora dhubh"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "цр̑на̄ о́вца"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic"
      ],
      "word": "бије̑ла̄ вра̏на"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "бе̑ла̄ вра̏на"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "Roman",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "cȓnā óvca"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "Roman",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "bijȇlā vrȁna"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "tags": [
        "Roman",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "bȇlā vrȁna"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "word": "svart får"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "bila vorona",
      "sense": "nonconformist",
      "word": "біла ворона"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "word": "害群之馬"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "hàiqúnzhīmǎ",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "word": "害群之马"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "word": "敗類"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "bàilèi",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "word": "败类"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "sort får"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "zwart schaap"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "word": "idaĉo"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "word": "musta lammas"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "mouton noir"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "brebis galeuse"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "schwarzes Schaf"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "mávro próvato",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "μαύρο πρόβατο"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "svartur sauður"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "pecora nera"
    },
    {
      "alt": "やっかいもの",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "yakkaimono",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "word": "厄介者"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "word": "kambing hitam"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "czarna owca"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ovelha negra"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "english": "scabby sheep",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "paršívaja ovcá",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "парши́вая овца́"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "цр̑на̄ о́вца"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic"
      ],
      "word": "бије̑ла̄ вра̏на"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "бе̑ла̄ вра̏на"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "Roman",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "cȓnā óvca"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "Roman",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "bijȇlā vrȁna"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "Roman",
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "bȇlā vrȁna"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "oveja negra"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "person who is not wholesome",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "svart får"
    }
  ],
  "word": "black sheep"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.