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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] |
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