I. R ˈhȯ(ə)rs, - R ˈhȯ(ə)s, dial R ˈhȯs or ˈhä(r)s - R ˈhäs noun
( plural horses also horse )
Etymology: Middle English hors, from Old English; akin to Old Frisian hors, hars horse, Old Saxon hros, hers, Old High German hros, Old Norse hross, and perhaps to Old Norse hrata to stagger, fall — more at cardinal
1.
a.
(1) : a large solid-hoofed herbivorous mammal ( Equus caballus ) domesticated by man since a prehistoric period and used as a beast of burden, a draft animal, or for riding, and distinguished from the other existing members of the genus Equus and family Equidae by the long hair of the mane and tail, the usual presence of a callosity on the inside of the hind leg below the hock, and other less constant characters (as the larger size, larger hooves, more arched neck, small head, short ears)
(2) : a horse over 14.2 hands tall — compare colt , pony
(3) : racehorse
play the horses
b.
(1) : the male of the horse : stallion ; sometimes : a gelding as distinguished from an entire male
(2) : a stallion four years old or older — used in the terminology of the United States Trotting Association
c.
(1) : any of various extinct animals closely related to the horse
(2) : any member of the family Equidae
2. : any of several devices: as
a. : a hook-shaped tool used in making embossed or hammered work
b.
(1) : footrope
(2) : a breastband or similar protection for a sailor in an exposed position
(3) : traveler 3b
(4) : jackstay 1
c. : a frame usually with legs used for supporting something (as planks, a staging, clothing) : trestle ; specifically : a sloping frame used in printing for holding paper about to be printed
d. : a notched board to support the steps of a staircase
e.
(1) : side horse
(2) : long horse
3. horse plural : horsemen
the whole party of 1500 horse — H.A.Shield
especially : cavalry
a regiment of horse
4.
a. : a mass of the same geological character as the wall rock occurring within a vein ; especially : a body of useless rock within an ore deposit
b. : a mass of rock enclosed between two branches of a fault or vein
5.
a. : horsepower
b. slang : heroin
went back on the horse — Police Dragnet
•
- from the horse's mouth
[s]horse.jpg[/s] [
horse 1a(1): 1 forehead, 2 forelock, 3 poll, 4 mane, 5 withers, 6 back, 7 flank, 8 loin, 9 haunch, 10 croup, 11 point of hip, 12 tail, 13 hock, 14 cannon, 15 gaskin, 16 thigh, 17 stifle, 18 barrel, 19 chestnut, 20 fetlock, 21 pastern, 22 hoof, 23 coronet, 24 knee, 25 forearm, 26 chest, 27 shoulder, 28 neck, 29 throatlatch, 30 cheek
]
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English horsen, from hors, n.
transitive verb
1.
a. : to provide with a horse ; specifically : to provide horses for (a vehicle)
b. : to place on a horse
2.
a. : to lift, pull, or push roughly or by main force
horsing him around in the snow — Theodore Morrison
sweating gunners horsed their pieces into action — Bruce Catton
b. : to hang (leather) on a horse to drain — often used with up
3. : to subject to horseplay : play a joke on : kid
if there was nothing else to do, you could horse the … newspaper vendor — Wallace Stegner
intransitive verb
1. of a mare : to be in heat : be willing to take a stallion
2. : to engage in horseplay : play , fool — usually used with around
I horse around quite a lot, just to keep from getting bored — J.D.Salinger
I never horse around much with women — Norman Mailer
3. : to read a proof by comparing it directly with copy
III. adjective
Etymology: horse (I)
1.
a. : of or relating to a horse
b. : hauled or powered by a horse
a horse barge
2. : large or coarse of its kind
horse corn
3. : mounted on horseback
horse dragoons
also : used by or designed for mounted troops
horse barracks