shepherd

Etymology

From Middle English schepherde, from Old English sċēaphyrde, a compound of sċēap (“sheep”) and hierde (“herdsman”), equivalent to modern sheep +‎ herd (“herder”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈʃɛp.əɹd/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

shepherd (plural shepherds, feminine shepherdess)

1. A person who tends sheep, especially a grazing flock.
   • 1906, Stanley J[ohn] Weyman, chapter I, in Chippinge Borough, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., OCLC 580270828:

     It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. He wore shepherd's plaid trousers and the swallow-tail coat of the day, with a figured muslin cravat wound about his wide-spread collar.

2. (figuratively) Someone who watches over, looks after, or guides somebody.
   • 1769, Oxford Standard text, Bible (King James), Psalms, 23, i,

     The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

3. (figuratively) The pastor of a church; one who guides others in religion.

Verb

shepherd (third-person singular simple present shepherds, present participle shepherding, simple past and past participle shepherded)

1. To watch over; to guide
2. (Australian rules football) For a player to obstruct an opponent from getting to the ball, either when a teammate has it or is going for it, or if the ball is about to bounce through the goal or out of bounds.