live stock, ˈlive-stock
1. Domestic animals generally; animals of any kind kept or dealt in for use or profit.
| 1777 Sheridan Sch. Scand. iii. iii, Nothing but live stock—and that's only a few pointers and ponies. 1777 Robertson Hist. Amer. (1783) III. 420 The number of its live-stock is more than treble. 1828 Miss Mitford Village Ser. iii. 264 Trying the great market of Covent-garden for the sale of his live-stock. 1840 R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxix. 105 Our live stock, consisting of four bullocks, a dozen sheep, a dozen or more pigs. 1863 Fawcett Pol. Econ. ii. v. (1876) 159 Farmers may also now insure their live-stock. |
| transf. 1775 Sheridan Rivals ii. i, You talked of independence and a fortune, but not a word of a wife. Sir A...Odds life, sir! if you have the estate, you must take it with the live stock on it, as it stands. 1894 W. Morris in Mackail Life (1899) II. 305 Our suffering the human live-stock of the country to live such a wretched scanty existence as they do. |
| attrib. 1856 Farmer's Mag. Jan. 7 The Council have..agreed to the Live-Stock Prize-Sheet. 1894 Daily News 4 July 5/7 The live-stock trade. |
2. Body vermin.
dial. and
slang.| 1785 Grose Dict. Vulg. Tongue, Live stock, lice, or fleas. |