I. ˈas, ˈaa(ə)s, ˈais also ˈȧs in NE & Brit especially (in Brit at least) in sense 2 noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English asse, from Old English assa, perhaps from Old Irish asan, from Latin asinus, probably from a language of Asia Minor; akin to the source of Greek onos ass
1. : any of several mammals of the genus Equus that are smaller than the horse, with a shorter mane and shorter hair on the tail, with long ears, and without callosities on the inner surface of the hind limbs, that are hardy and gregarious sure-footed natives of Asia and No. Africa, and of which one species ( E. asinus ) is the domestic ass, a rugged, patient, but somewhat stubborn beast of burden, made a popular symbol of obstinacy and stupidity — see kiang , mule
2. : one that is utterly silly : a simple-minded fool often marked by stubbornness or stolidity
when they make asses of themselves they do it in the grand style — Leonard Bacon
II. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
: to act like an ass : play the ass
assing along … as though we were still back in the nineteen-twenties — Margery Allingham
III. ˈas
Scotland
variant of ash III
IV. noun
or arse in the US ˈas, ˈaa(ə)s, ˈais also ˈȧs, and sometimes ˈärs euphemistically by speakers who have preconsonantal r and who are aware that there is a spelling “arse”; ˈȧs in standard Brit and ˈȧ(r)s or ˈärs or ˈārs or ˈers in Brit and Scot dialect; in the US the pronunc ˈȧs occurs chiefly in NE and is there prob more often associated with the spelling “ass” than with “arse”
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English ars, ers, from Old English ærs, ears; akin to Old High German & Old Norse ars buttocks, Greek orrhos, Armenian oṙ, Hittite arraš, Old Irish err tail
1.
a. : buttocks, rump — often considered vulgar
b. : anus — often considered vulgar
2. dialect Britain : the lower or rear end of anything : bottom
3. : sexual intercourse — usually considered vulgar
V. abbreviation
1. assembly
2. assistant
3. association