- Equus asinus
- Ass Ass, n. [OE. asse, AS. assa; akin to Icel. asni, W. asen,
asyn, L. asinus, dim. aselus, Gr. ?; also to AS. esol, OHG.
esil, G. esel, Goth. asilus, Dan. [ae]sel, Lith. asilas,
Bohem. osel, Pol. osiel. The word is prob. of Semitic origin;
cf. Heb. ath?n she ass. Cf. {Ease}.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) A quadruped of the genus {Equus} ({Equus
asinus}), smaller than the horse, and having a peculiarly
harsh bray and long ears. The tame or domestic ass is
patient, slow, and sure-footed, and has become the type of
obstinacy and stupidity. There are several species of wild
asses which are swift-footed.
[1913 Webster]
2. A dull, heavy, stupid fellow; a dolt. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
{Asses' Bridge}. [L. pons asinorum.] The fifth proposition of the first book of Euclid, ``The angles at the base of an isosceles triangle are equal to one another.'' [Sportive] ``A schoolboy, stammering out his Asses' Bridge.'' --F. Harrison.
{To make an ass of one's self}, to do or say something very foolish or absurd. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
