mule 1
/myoohl/ , n.
1. the sterile offspring of a female horse and a male donkey, valued as a work animal, having strong muscles, a body shaped like a horse, and donkeylike long ears, small feet, and sure-footedness. Cf. hinny 1 .
2. any hybrid between the donkey and the horse.
3. Informal. a very stubborn person.
4. Bot. any sterile hybrid.
5. Slang. a person paid to carry or transport contraband, esp. drugs, for a smuggler.
6. a small locomotive used for pulling rail cars, as in a coal yard or on an industrial site, or for towing, as of ships through canal locks.
7. Also called spinning mule . a machine for spinning cotton or other fibers into yarn and winding the yarn on spindles.
8. Naut. a large triangular staysail set between two masts and having its clew set well aft.
9. Numis. a hybrid coin having the obverse of one issue and the reverse of the succeeding issue, or vice versa.
10. Biol. a hybrid, esp. one between the canary and some other finch.
[ bef. 1000; ME mula mule (fem.); r. OE mul mulus (masc.) ]
mule 2
/myoohl/ , n.
1. a lounging slipper that covers the toes and instep or only the instep.
2. a woman's shoe resembling this.
[ 1350-1400; ME: sore spot on the heel, chilblain, perh. mule ]