sheepish
embarrassed by a mistake
TRANSLATION
sheepish = verlegen, schuldbewusst, schüchtern, ängstlich, betreten sheepish smile = verlegenes Lächeln to look sheepish = betreten dreinschauen --- GOOGLE INDEX sheepish: approximately 1,000,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
We then had a very SHEEPISH train manager apologise over the loud speaker, citing unforeseen circumstances as the reason for not making the scheduled stop.
(BBC News)
---
One day in the early 1960s, John Lennon walked into London's Indica art gallery to visit an exhibition of avant garde art. Among the exhibits was a fresh apple. Inspired, Lennon impulsively plucked the item from its stand and took a bite. When the artist, who happened to be right there at the time, cried out in anger, Lennon SHEEPISHLY grinned and replaced the apple. The artist in question? Yoko Ono.
(BBC News)
---
One day in the early 1960s, John Lennon walked into London's Indica art gallery to visit an exhibition of avant garde art. Among the exhibits was a fresh apple. Inspired, Lennon impulsively plucked the item from its stand and took a bite. When the artist, who happened to be right there at the time, cried out in anger, Lennon SHEEPISHLY grinned and replaced the apple. The artist in question? Yoko Ono.
Did you
know?
sheepish
adjective
- embarrassed because you know that you have done something wrong or silly
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
As one might guess, this adjective refers to the sheepish nature of sheep. People who rely on the English language have never been sheepish about using animals as adjectives. Here are a few examples:
- chicken = cowardly
- mousey = shy, nervous and not having many interesting qualities
- piggish = greedy
- pigheaded = stubborn
- lion-hearted - very brave
- snaky = sly, treacherous
- foxy = sly, smart
- elephantine = very large
- fishy = seeming dishonest or false
- ratty = easily annoyed, unkempt or greasy
---
SYNONYMS
abashed, apologetic, ashamed, bashful, blushing, conscience-stricken, crestfallen, demeaned, discomfited, disconcerted, embarrassed, flustered, hesitant, humble, humbled, humiliated, meek, self-conscious, shamed, shamefaced, sheepish, shy, stammering, stuttering, submissive, timid
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"When I told John that he was wearing two socks of different colours, he looked at me with a sheepish grin."
adjective
- embarrassed because you know that you have done something wrong or silly
(Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
---
As one might guess, this adjective refers to the sheepish nature of sheep. People who rely on the English language have never been sheepish about using animals as adjectives. Here are a few examples:
- chicken = cowardly
- mousey = shy, nervous and not having many interesting qualities
- piggish = greedy
- pigheaded = stubborn
- lion-hearted - very brave
- snaky = sly, treacherous
- foxy = sly, smart
- elephantine = very large
- fishy = seeming dishonest or false
- ratty = easily annoyed, unkempt or greasy
---
SYNONYMS
abashed, apologetic, ashamed, bashful, blushing, conscience-stricken, crestfallen, demeaned, discomfited, disconcerted, embarrassed, flustered, hesitant, humble, humbled, humiliated, meek, self-conscious, shamed, shamefaced, sheepish, shy, stammering, stuttering, submissive, timid
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"When I told John that he was wearing two socks of different colours, he looked at me with a sheepish grin."
