subs. phr. (common).—A scapegrace; a bad lot; a mauvais sujet: also applied like BLACKLEG (q.v.) and BLACK-NOB (q.v.) to workmen who persist in working when their comrades are on strike.
1824. SCOTT, St. Ronan’s Well, ii., 312. Jekyl … is not such a BLACK SHEEP neither but what there are some white hairs about him.
1834–5. THACKERAY, The Newcomes, v. Their father had never had the courage to acquaint them with his more true, kind, and charitable version of Tom’s story. So he passed at home for no better than a BLACK SHEEP.
1864. LE FANU, Uncle Silas, xxvi. ‘Your Uncle Silas had injured himself before that in the opinion of the people of his county. He was a BLACK SHEEP, in fact. Very bad stories were told and believed of him.’
1874. M. and F. COLLINS, Frances, xxxvii. ‘In all cities there are BLACK SHEEP, but in a city like London, sound finance is the rule, I am sure.’
1876. BESANT and RICE, The Golden Butterfly, xxviii. ‘Many companies, perfectly sound in principle, may be ruined by a sudden decrease in the price of shares; a panic sets in, and in a few hours the shareholders may lose all. And if you bring this about by selling without concert with the other favoured allottees, you’ll be called a BLACK SHEEP.
Verb (Winchester College).—When a fellow in ‘Junior Part’ got above (or ‘jockeyed’) a fellow in ‘Middle Part.’
