n.
Pronunciation: ' ho ̇ rs
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural hors · es also horse
Etymology: Middle English hors, from Old English; akin to Old High German hros horse
Date: before 12th century
1 a (1) : a large solid-hoofed herbivorous ungulate mammal ( Equus caballus, family Equidae, the horse family) domesticated since prehistoric times and used as a beast of burden, a draft animal, or for riding (2) : RACEHORSE <play the horse s > b : a male horse especially : STALLION c : a recent or extinct animal (as a zebra, ass, or onager) of the horse family
2 a : JACKSTAY b : a frame usually with legs used for supporting something (as planks or staging) c (1) : POMMEL HORSE (2) : VAULTING HORSE
3 horse plural : CAVALRY
4 : a mass of the same geological character as the wall rock occurring within a vein
5 : HORSEPOWER
6 slang : HEROIN
7 : an athlete whose performance is consistently strong and reliable <a team with the horse s to win the pennant>
8 or H-O-R-S-E : a game in which players take turns attempting to duplicate successful basketball shots, a letter of the word "horse" is awarded for each missed attempt, and the first player to receive all five letters loses
– horse · less \ ' ho ̇ r-sl ə s \ adjective
– horse · like \ ' ho ̇ rs- ˌ l ī k \ adjective
– from the horse's mouth : from the original source
horse 1a(1): 1 dock, 2 croup, 3 point of hip, 4 loin, 5 back, 6 withers, 7 mane, 8 crest, 9 poll, 10 forelock, 11 forehead, 12 muzzle, 13 cheek, 14 throatlatch, 15 neck, 16 shoulder, 17 chest, 18 forearm, 19 knee, 20 cannon, 21 fetlock, 22 hoof, 23 chestnut, 24 elbow, 25 barrel, 26 flank, 27 stifle, 28 pastern, 29 coronet, 30 hock, 31 gaskin, 32 tail, 33 thigh, 34 buttock