ass
/æs/ (bre, ipa) · /æs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈas/ (ame, mw)
ass — noun
- asssingular
- assesplural
1. a four-legged farm animal that looks like a small horse, with long ears and a lo
a four-legged farm animal that looks like a small horse, with long ears and a loud cry, often used in the past to carry heavy loads.
An old farmer led his ass along the dusty road toward the village market.
literal animal sense; usually appears with possessive or article
The ass at the petting zoo brayed loudly when Mia tried to feed it a carrot.
Wild asses still roam the dry plains of central Asia in small groups.
The miller loaded sacks of flour onto his ass and walked beside it down the hill.
用法筆記
Now mostly replaced by 'donkey' in everyday English, partly because the word can be confused with the rude senses below. 'Ass' for the animal still appears in older books, the Bible, and fixed phrases like 'wild ass'.
常見錯誤
2. someone who behaves in a silly or foolish way, especially in a way that makes ot
someone who behaves in a silly or foolish way, especially in a way that makes other people laugh at them.
Don't be such an ass — of course Yusuf was joking when he said that.
common pattern: 'be such an ass'
Tom made a complete ass of himself singing on the table at the office party.
fixed pattern: make an ass of yourself
I felt like an ass after sending the email to the wrong client.
Only an ass would argue with the referee in the middle of the match.
文法句型
make an ass of yourself
用法筆記
Mostly British and a bit old-fashioned; in American English, this insult sense usually means a rude or arrogant person rather than a silly one, and is often stronger. Distinguish from sense 1 (the animal): here it always describes a person.
常見錯誤
3. a rude or impolite word for the two round, soft parts at the back of a person's
a rude or impolite word for the two round, soft parts at the back of a person's body that they sit on.
Camille slipped on the icy steps and landed hard on his ass.
very common pattern: land/fall on your ass
Get your ass off the couch and help me carry the groceries inside.
informal command: get your ass + preposition
Xiomara kicked her brother in the ass for stealing the last slice of pizza.
After cycling all weekend, my ass is so sore I can barely sit down.
用法筆記
Standard in casual American speech but considered rude in formal settings, around children, or at work. British English usually says 'arse' for this meaning. Avoid in writing aimed at general or polite audiences.
常見錯誤
4. a very offensive word used by some men to mean sex, or to talk about women only
a very offensive word used by some men to mean sex, or to talk about women only as something to have sex with.
The film was criticised for showing male characters who only talk about getting ass.
typical context: critical or quoted speech, not endorsed
Treating women as 'just ass' is exactly the attitude the campaign wants to change.
Several students complained that their teammate kept bragging about chasing ass at parties.
The lyrics on his new album are full of crude lines about getting ass.
用法筆記
Highly offensive and sexist; learners should recognise it in films, songs, and overheard talk but avoid producing it. Almost always appears as an uncountable noun (no 'a/an', no plural) and often follows verbs like 'get', 'chase', or 'want'.
常見錯誤
5. used after a possessive word like 'my', 'your', or 'his' as a rude, forceful way
used after a possessive word like 'my', 'your', or 'his' as a rude, forceful way of saying the person, often to show anger, urgency, or strong feeling.
Get your ass over here right now — Dimitri is waiting at the door.
command + 'your ass' for urgency
If the boss finds out, my ass is in serious trouble on Monday morning.
'my ass' = me, used for emphasis
Xiomara told her brother to drag his ass out of bed before the bus left.
I drove your ass home at three in the morning, so you owe me one.
文法句型
possessive + ass = pronoun
用法筆記
Used only with a possessive ('my', 'your', 'his', 'her', 'their') and never as the literal body part — the meaning is purely the person. Distinguish from sense 3: in 'sit on your ass', 'ass' = buttocks; in 'get your ass over here', 'ass' = you. Strong tone, so avoid in polite or professional speech.