1 C1 neutral
(Australian/NZ farming) Of a ewe, to give birth to a lamb; or for a farmer, to assist ewes during the lambing season.
"The ewes started lambing down in early spring, so the farmers worked around the clock."
inseparable
lamb down
C1 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
(Agriculture, Australian/New Zealand) To assist ewes during the lambing season; also, of a sheep, to give birth to a lamb.
In plain English
To help mother sheep give birth to their baby lambs on a farm.
What does "lamb down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic slang
(Australian slang, historical) To persuade a newly paid worker or shearer to spend all their wages, typically by providing alcohol.
"The publican was known for lambing down the shearers every payday."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To bring lambs down (into the world) — largely transparent in the farming sense.
Actually means
To help mother sheep give birth to their baby lambs on a farm.
Usage tip
Primarily used in Australian and New Zealand farming/pastoral contexts. 'Lambing down' refers to the busy season on a sheep farm when ewes are giving birth. Can be used transitively ('lamb down the ewes') or intransitively ('the ewes are lambing down'). Also has an older Australian slang sense of persuading a shearer or worker to spend all their wages.
Words that pair with "lamb down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
ewes flock season pasture farm shearers
How to conjugate "lamb down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
lamb down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
lambs down
he/she/it
Past simple
lambed down
yesterday
Past participle
lambed down
have + pp
-ing form
lambing down
continuous
Hear "lamb down" in the wild
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