horse

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 family2 a: jackstay b: a frame usually with legs used for supporting something (as planks or staging) c (1): pommel horse (2): vaulting horse3horse plural : cavalry4: a mass of the same geological character as the wall rock occurring within a vein5: horsepower6slang : heroin7: 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]

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