English Lexicon

Horse's ass

/ˈhɔːrs.ɪz æs/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #14500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    An obnoxious, irritating, or foolish person.

    "He acted like a complete horse's ass at the meeting by interrupting everyone."
  2. 2

    The literal rear end of a horse.

    "The veterinarian examined the horse's ass to check for signs of illness."

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Synonyms (3)
Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from American colloquial and vulgar slang in the mid-20th century, combining the noun 'horse' with 'ass' (denoting the hindquarters). Over time, the phrase shifted semantically from a literal description of an animal's anatomy to a pejorative metaphor for an obnoxious, irritating, or foolish person.

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