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sheep ked: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Low
UK/ˈʃiːp ˌkɛd/US/ˈʃip ˌkɛd/

Technical / Agricultural

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Quick answer

What does “sheep ked” mean?

A wingless, blood-sucking fly (Melophagus ovinus) that is an external parasite of sheep.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A wingless, blood-sucking fly (Melophagus ovinus) that is an external parasite of sheep.

In broader contexts, can refer to any persistent, parasitic nuisance or a person who clings annoyingly to others.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

The term is used identically in both varieties, primarily in veterinary and farming contexts.

Connotations

Neutral and technical in both regions.

Frequency

Equally low frequency in both UK and US English, confined to specific fields.

Grammar

How to Use “sheep ked” in a Sentence

The sheep ked [VERB] the sheep.Farmers must [VERB] sheep keds.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
infested with sheep kedssheep ked infestationcontrol sheep keds
medium
parasitic sheep kedthe common sheep kedtreat for sheep keds
weak
found a sheep kedproblem with sheep kedssheep ked population

Examples

Examples of “sheep ked” in a Sentence

verb

British English

  • The flock was badly kadded.
  • We need to ked-dip the ewes.

American English

  • The herd was ked-infested.
  • They plan to ked-treat the lambs.

adverb

British English

  • [No standard adverbial use]

American English

  • [No standard adverbial use]

adjective

British English

  • The ked burden was high this season.
  • A ked-control programme is essential.

American English

  • The ked problem required immediate action.
  • Ked-resistant breeds are being studied.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Rare, except in agricultural supply or veterinary pharmaceutical contexts.

Academic

Used in veterinary science, parasitology, and agricultural biology papers.

Everyday

Virtually never used in general conversation.

Technical

The primary register; used in veterinary manuals, farming guides, and entomology texts.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “sheep ked”

Strong

Melophagus ovinus

Neutral

sheep ticksheep louse fly

Weak

parasiteexternal parasite

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “sheep ked”

beneficial insectpollinatorpredator of parasites

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “sheep ked”

  • Misspelling as 'sheep kid'.
  • Using it as a general term for any insect on a farm.
  • Incorrect pluralisation as 'sheep kedses'.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, a sheep ked is a wingless fly, while ticks are arachnids. They are different types of parasites.

Sheep keds are highly host-specific to sheep and very rarely bite humans. They are not considered a human health threat.

Treatment typically involves insecticidal dips, sprays, or pour-on medications approved for use on livestock.

The standard plural is 'sheep keds'. As a compound noun, only the second element ('ked') is pluralised.

A wingless, blood-sucking fly (Melophagus ovinus) that is an external parasite of sheep.

Sheep ked is usually technical / agricultural in register.

Sheep ked: in British English it is pronounced /ˈʃiːp ˌkɛd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈʃip ˌkɛd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “[No common idioms for this specific technical term]”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: 'Sheep KED' = 'Sheep Keep Eating (while) Diseased' – a reminder it's a pest that affects sheep health.

Conceptual Metaphor

A 'sheep ked' can metaphorically represent a persistent, draining hanger-on or a minor but chronic problem.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
A infestation can cause irritation and wool loss in sheep.
Multiple Choice

What is a 'sheep ked'?