fat lamb
C1-C2 / Uncommon idiomInformal / Idiomatic / Figurative / Occasionally used in literary or historical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A sheep (particularly a young one) that has been reared and fed to be ready for slaughter, producing high-quality meat.
Metaphorically, a person or resource that is an easy target for exploitation, ready to be taken advantage of, or a source of profit with little effort required.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The literal meaning (a well-fed young sheep) is primary but now rare outside farming contexts. The figurative/metaphorical use is more common in modern English, carrying connotations of vulnerability, naivety, and exploitable wealth or resources. It often implies the 'lamb' is unaware of its fate or the exploiter's intentions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The metaphorical idiom is understood in both varieties, but is somewhat archaic and literary. It may be slightly more recognized in British English due to its historical and agricultural roots. The literal farming term is universally understood.
Connotations
In both varieties, the idiom carries a negative, predatory connotation when used figuratively. It suggests a power imbalance where one party is innocently ripe for taking.
Frequency
Low frequency in both. More likely found in classic literature, political commentary, or economic analysis than in everyday conversation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] is/are a fat lamb.They saw the new startup as a fat lamb.to view/treat/consider [someone/something] as a fat lambVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a fat lamb ready for the slaughter”
- “waiting for the fat lambs”
- “to be led like a fat lamb to the market”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe a lucrative company ripe for a takeover, or a naive investor with significant capital.
Academic
Appears in historical, literary, or economic texts discussing exploitation, colonialism, or power dynamics.
Everyday
Rare. Might be used humorously or cynically to describe someone who is easily fooled into spending money.
Technical
Primarily an agricultural/husbandry term for livestock management.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The inherited estate made him a fat lamb for every unscrupulous financier in the City.
- The farmer separated the fat lambs from the flock for market.
American English
- The venture capitalists viewed the tech startup as a fat lamb waiting to be acquired.
- Raising fat lambs requires careful feed management.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The farmer has many fat lambs on his farm.
- After winning the lottery, he felt like everyone saw him as a fat lamb.
- The corporation, bloated with assets but poorly managed, was seen as a fat lamb by its competitors.
- The colonial powers treated the resource-rich region as nothing more than a fat lamb to be systematically sheared.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a very plump, fluffy lamb contentedly eating in a field, completely unaware of the farmer sharpening his knife nearby. This image captures both the literal meaning and the figurative sense of unsuspecting vulnerability.
Conceptual Metaphor
PEOPLE ARE ANIMALS (specifically, VICTIMS/PROFIT SOURCES ARE LIVESTOCK). The metaphor maps the qualities of a domesticated animal bred for consumption (well-fed, docile, destined for slaughter) onto a person or entity.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'жирный ягнёнок' outside of a farming context, as it will not convey the idiomatic meaning. The Russian idiom 'стричь купоны' (to clip coupons) or the concept of a 'дойная корова' (cash cow) share some conceptual ground but are not direct equivalents. For the sense of an 'easy victim', consider 'лёгкая добыча'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to simply mean 'a successful person' (it implies vulnerability, not just success).
- Confusing it with 'sacrificial lamb', which focuses on being sacrificed for a cause, not on being exploited for profit.
- Using it in a positive context (it is almost always negative/cynical).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the phrase 'fat lamb' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When used figuratively about a person, it is derogatory and dehumanizing, comparing them to livestock. It implies they are naive and destined to be exploited. It should be used with caution, if at all, in direct reference to people.
A 'scapegoat' is blamed or punished for the mistakes of others. A 'fat lamb' is exploited for profit or gain, not necessarily blamed. The lamb's 'fatness' (value) is the key feature, whereas a scapegoat's key feature is taking blame.
Almost never in its figurative sense. Literally, in agriculture, it is a positive description of a healthy, market-ready animal. But metaphorically, it is inherently cynical, viewing the subject as a resource to be consumed.
No, it is considered somewhat archaic or literary. More common modern equivalents include 'cash cow', 'sitting duck', or 'easy mark'. You are more likely to encounter it in older texts or in stylized speech.