bare-bellied Joe

English

Alternative forms

• bare-belly joe
• bare-belly Joe

Etymology

Variant of bare-bellied yoe (dialectal form of ewe), with final /d/ of bellied joining with initial /j/ of yeo to form /d͡ʒ/.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

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Noun

bare-bellied Joe (plural bare-bellied Joes)

1. (informal, Australia) A ewe with little or no wool on its belly, therefore requiring less time to shear.

Usage notes

• The formerly common term is now most widely known (in various forms) from the lyrics of the traditional folk song Click Go The Shears.