ASS


Meaning of ASS in English

I. ˈas noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English assa, probably from Old Irish asan, from Latin asinus

Date: before 12th century

1. : any of several hardy gregarious African or Asian perissodactyl mammals (genus Equus ) smaller than the horse and having long ears ; especially : an African mammal ( E. asinus ) that is the ancestor of the donkey

2. sometimes vulgar : a stupid, obstinate, or perverse person

made an ass of himself

— often compounded with a preceding adjective

don't be a smart- ass

II. ˈas noun

or arse ˈas, ˈärs

Etymology: Middle English ars, ers, from Old English ærs, ears; akin to Old High German & Old Norse ars buttocks, Greek orrhos buttocks, oura tail

Date: before 12th century

1.

a. often vulgar : buttocks — often used in emphatic reference to a specific person

get your ass over here

saved my ass

b. often vulgar : anus

2. usually vulgar : sexual intercourse

III. adverb

Etymology: ass (II)

Date: circa 1920

often vulgar — used as a postpositive intensive especially with words of derogatory implication

fancy- ass

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.