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Webster 1913 Edition
Ass
Ass
,Noun.
[OE.
asse
, AS. assa
; akin to Icel. asni
, W. asen
, asyn
, L. asinus
, dim. aselus
, Gr. [GREEK]; also to AS. esol
, OHG. esil
, G. esel
, Goth. asilus
, Dan. æsel
, Lith. asilas
, Bohem. osel
, Pol. osiel
. The word is prob. of Semitic origin; cf. Heb. ath[GREEK]n
she ass. Cf. Ease
.] 1.
(Zool.)
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. 2.
A dull, heavy, stupid fellow; a dolt.
Shak.
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.
Webster 1828 Edition
Ass
'ASS
,Noun.
1.
A quadruped of the equine genus. This animal has long slouching ears, a short mane, and a tail covered with long hairs at the end. He is usually of an ash color, with a black bar across the shoulders. The tame or domestic ass is patient to stupidity, and carries a heavy burden. He is slow, but very sure footed, and for this reason very useful on rough steep hills.2.
A dull, heavy, stupid fellow; a dolt.