shepherd

Etymology

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

noun

1. A person who tends sheep, especially a grazing flock.
   1. A male sheep tender
      Coordinate term: shepherdess (f.)
2. (figurative) Someone who watches over, looks after, or guides somebody.
   The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 1769, Oxford Standard text, Bible (King James), Psalms 23:1
   1. A male watcher/guardian/guider/leader
      Coordinate term: shepherdess (f.)
3. (figurative) The pastor of a church; one who guides others in religion.
   1. A male pastor
      Coordinate term: shepherdess (f.)
4. (poetic) A swain; a rustic male lover.
5. A German Shepherd.
   The dirt floor, low ceiling and unfinished stone walls were barely illuminated by candles and a dim string of green decorative lights. A nervous shepherd mix barked at me as a woman tried to calm it. When my eyes adjusted, I saw people in corners. 2022-05-19, James Verini, “Surviving the Siege of Kharkiv”, in The New York Times Magazine

verb

1. (transitive) To watch over; to guide.
   Each entry in this volume was assigned to a different preeminent scholar who was responsible for shepherding that specific entry, and that specific entry alone, into being. 2012, The Onion Book of Known Knowledge, page viii
2. (transitive, Australian rules football) 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.