equus asinus

2 definitions found

equus asinus - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  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. (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.
        [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]

equus asinus - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Equus asinus
      n 1: a wild ass of Africa [syn: African wild ass, Equus asinus
           ]
      2: domestic beast of burden descended from the African wild ass;
         patient but stubborn [syn: domestic ass, donkey, Equus   asinus
         ]