What does the phrase black sheep mean?

Definition of black sheep

: a disfavored or disreputable member of a group.

Is black sheep a compliment?

It's not usually a compliment. But the way they describe it sure sounds familiar. Being the black sheep of the family doesn't mean you're never included or that your parents changed the locks when you “finally crossed the line” (though that's true for some).

What makes someone a black sheep of the family?

A “black sheep” is a family member who is marginalized, treated differently, or excluded by the rest of the family. Black sheep, also known as marginalized family members, experience feelings of hurt, inadequacy, and loneliness.

Where did the phrase black sheep of the family come from?

The origin of the phrase comes from the rare presence in a flock of white sheep of a sheep with black fleece. Rather than being a delightful surprise, these black sheep were a disappointment, since their wool couldn't be dyed.

What's another word for black sheep?

In this page you can discover 7 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for black-sheep, like: rascal, outcast, refugee, prodigal, bad-egg, scapegrace and reprobate.

idioms 101 - a black sheep

How do you know if you are a black sheep?

Is black sheep a metaphor?

This metaphor is based on the idea that black sheep were less valuable than white ones because it was more difficult to dye their wool different colors. Also, in the 16th century, their color was considered the devil's mark. By the 18th century the term was widely used as it is today, for the odd member of a group.

What does it mean to be a white sheep?

Definition of white sheep

1 : dall sheep. 2 : a normal well-behaved individual among a group of discreditable individuals — compare black sheep.

What is the black sheep effect?

The black sheep effect (BSE) describes the evaluative upgrading of norm-compliant group members (ingroup bias), and evaluative downgrading of deviant (norm-violating) group members, relative to similar outgroup members.

How do you use black sheep?

You can use the phrase “Black Sheep” when describing someone who acts differently than the expected norm. It's usually used in conjunction with “family” as in he's the black sheep of the family. Example of use: “Rachel is the black sheep in the family because she is an artist whereas everyone else is an economist.”

What does white as a sheet mean?

Very pale in the face, as in She was white as a sheet after that near encounter. This simile, dating from about 1600, survives despite the fact that bedsheets now come in all colors.

What is black wool?

a. The dense, soft, often curly hair forming the coat of sheep and certain other mammals, such as the goat and alpaca, consisting of cylindrical strands of keratin covered by minute overlapping scales and much valued as a textile fiber. b. Fabric or yarn made of this hair.

Who is a white sheep of the family?

(idiomatic) A disliked person; one who is disfavored. I was the white sheep of the family, the straight man.

What is the idiomatic expression of the black sheep of the family?

Fig. A worthless or disreputable family member. The “black sheep” is a member of a social group or family who is regarded as a disgrace and an embarrassment to the rest of the group.

What does having green fingers mean?

UK (US have a green thumb) to be good at gardening and making plants grow well.

How do you know if you are the black sheep of your family?

Pay attention to the verbal cues family members give when a loved one walks away. If one member of the family is most often talked about over others, they might be the black sheep, especially if they way they are talked about is negative. Subtle or passive behaviors might fall to the way of more aggressive ones.

What do you do when your family turns against you?

Sometimes in life, you'll have to be the bigger person if you're wrong, apologize, and talk through the issues with your family. Often, a sincere heartfelt apology is needed to make all the bad vibes despair. Be open, honest and if you've made a mistake, take ownership and show your family that you're taking the blame.

How do you deal with a family that excludes you?

What do you call a social outcast?

A pariah is an outcast or someone who's despised and avoided. Pariah is often used to refer to a person who is widely shunned for some offense they have committed. It is often used in the phrase social pariah and in the context of politics.

What is the synonym of outcast?

fugitive, untouchable, vagabond, bum, castaway, deportee, derelict, exile, expatriate, gypsy, hobo, rascal, refugee, reprobate, tramp, vagrant, wretch, displaced person, persona non grata.

Do black sheep exist?

Completely black sheep do occur in other breeds and crosses, but not in Merinos. There are two quite different and independent patterns of black pigmentation - piebald, and the three distinct types of black that occur in the Merino. Piebald.

Do black sheep make black wool?

Because black wool cannot be dyed, it has an organic, flecked appearance. This both reflects the atmospheric conditions in which the individual sheep lived and means every black-wool piece is subtly unique.

Do black sheep get sheared?

Sheep with any black in their fleece or on their faces are shuttled into a separate corral to be sheared later. Black sheep have coarser and less wool than white sheep. The ewes were pushed along up a ramp into the shearing trailer.