Main Entry: ¹horse

Pronunciation: \ˈhȯrs\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural hors·es also horse

Etymology: Middle English hors, from Old English; akin to Old High German hros horse

Date: before 12th century

1 a (1) : a large solid-hoofed herbivorous ungulate mammal (Equus caballus, family Equidae, the horse family) domesticated since prehistoric times and used as a beast of burden, a draft animal, or for riding (2) : racehorse <play the horses> b : a male horse; especially : stallion c : a recent or extinct animal (as a zebra, ass, or onager) of the horse family
2 a : jackstay b : a frame usually with legs used for supporting something (as planks or staging) c (1) : pommel horse (2) : vaulting horse
3 horse plural : cavalry
4 : a mass of the same geological character as the wall rock occurring within a vein
5 : horsepower
6 slang : heroin
7 : an athlete whose performance is consistently strong and reliable <a team with the horses to win the pennant>
8or H-O-R-S-E : a game in which players take turns attempting to duplicate successful basketball shots, a letter of the word "horse" is awarded for each missed attempt, and the first player to receive all five letters loses

— horse·less \ˈhȯr-sləs\ adjective

— horse·like \ˈhȯrs-ˌlīk\ adjective

— from the horse's mouth : from the original source

[horse illustration]