with young

with young — idiom

1. used to describe a female mammal on a farm or in the wild that is carrying one o

1.慣用語B2
釋義

used to describe a female mammal on a farm or in the wild that is carrying one or more developing babies inside her body and will give birth to them

例句

Before lambing, the farmer checked whether each ewe was with young.

typical subject: farm animal (ewe)

A mare with young needs careful feeding and gentle handling throughout her pregnancy.

collocation: [animal] + with young

同義詞
  • pregnant

    the general term for humans and animals, far more common than 'with young'

  • in foal

    species-specific term used only for horses and donkeys

  • in lamb

    species-specific term used only for sheep

  • expecting

    informal term used mainly for humans, not for animals

反義詞
  • empty

    farming term meaning a female animal that is not pregnant this season

  • barren

    describes a female animal unable to conceive or give birth

用法筆記

Almost exclusively used for non-human animals, especially farm mammals and wildlife. Not used for humans in modern English. Compare with species-specific terms: 'in foal' (horse), 'in lamb' (sheep), 'in calf' (cow).

常見錯誤

❌My sister is with young.
✅My sister is pregnant.
💡'with young' is only used for animals, never for human beings in modern English.