louping ill

Questions

What does louping ill mean?

An enzootic and often fatal viral disease of sheep and other domestic animals, spread by ticks. It is characterized by muscular tremors and spasms, followed by more or less complete paralysis. The principal lesion is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

Where does louping ill come from?

From Scots loup (“to leap”), since affected sheep would spring into the air.

How to pronounce louping ill

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “louping ill”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “louping ill”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “louping ill” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.