— horseless , adj. — horselike , adj.
/hawrs/ , n. , pl. horses , ( esp. collectively ) horse , v. , horsed, horsing , adj.
n.
1. a large, solid-hoofed, herbivorous quadruped, Equus caballus, domesticated since prehistoric times, bred in a number of varieties, and used for carrying or pulling loads, for riding, and for racing.
2. a fully mature male animal of this type; stallion.
3. any of several odd-toed ungulates belonging to the family Equidae, including the horse, zebra, donkey, and ass, having a thick, flat coat with a narrow mane along the back of the neck and bearing the weight on only one functioning digit, the third, which is widened into a round or spade-shaped hoof.
4. something on which a person rides, sits, or exercises, as if astride the back of such an animal: rocking horse.
5. Also called trestle . a frame, block, etc., with legs, on which something is mounted or supported.
6. Gymnastics.
a. See vaulting horse .
b. See pommel horse .
7. Carpentry. carriage (def. 7).
8. soldiers serving on horseback; cavalry: a thousand horse.
9. Slang. a man; fellow.
10. Often, horses . Informal. horsepower.
11. horses , Slang. the power or capacity to accomplish something, as by having enough money, personnel, or expertise: Our small company doesn't have the horses to compete against a giant corporation.
12. Chess Informal. a knight.
13. Slang. a crib, translation, or other illicit aid to a student's recitation; trot; pony.
14. Mining. a mass of rock enclosed within a lode or vein.
15. Naut. traveler (def. 6b).
16. Shipbuilding. a mold of a curved frame, esp. one used when the complexity of the curves requires laying out at full size.
17. Slang. heroin.
18. back the wrong horse , to be mistaken in judgment, esp. in backing a losing candidate.
19. beat or flog a dead horse , to attempt to revive a discussion, topic, or idea that has waned, been exhausted, or proved fruitless.
20. from the horse's mouth , Informal. on good authority; from the original or a trustworthy source: I have it straight from the horse's mouth that the boss is retiring.
21. hold one's horses , Informal. to check one's impulsiveness; be patient or calm: Hold your horses! I'm almost ready.
22. horse of another color , something entirely different. Also, horse of a different color .
23. look a gift horse in the mouth , to be critical of a gift.
24. To horse! Mount your horse! Ride!
v.t.
25. to provide with a horse or horses.
26. to set on horseback.
27. to set or carry on a person's back or on one's own back.
28. Carpentry. to cut notches for steps into (a carriage beam).
29. to move with great physical effort or force: It took three men to horse the trunk up the stairs.
30. Slang.
a. to make (a person) the target of boisterous jokes.
b. to perform boisterously, as a part or a scene in a play.
31. Naut.
a. to caulk (a vessel) with a hammer.
b. to work or haze (a sailor) cruelly or unfairly.
32. Archaic. to place (someone) on a person's back, in order to be flogged.
v.i.
33. to mount or go on a horse.
34. (of a mare) to be in heat.
35. Vulgar. to have coitus.
36. horse around , Slang. to fool around; indulge in horseplay.
adj.
37. of, for, or pertaining to a horse or horses: the horse family; a horse blanket.
38. drawn or powered by a horse or horses.
39. mounted or serving on horses: horse troops.
40. unusually large.
[ bef. 900; (n.) ME, OE hors; c. ON hross, D ros, G Ross (MHG ros, OHG hros ); (v.) ME horsen to provide with horses, OE horsian, deriv. of the n. ]