Adjacent Words

Mule definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

MULE, n. [L. mulus.]
1. A quadruped of a mongrel breed,usually generated between an ass and a mare, sometimes between a horse and a she-ass. But the name is applied to any animal produced by a mixture of different species.
2. A plant or vegetable produced by impregnating the pistil of one species of plant with the farin or fecundating dust of another. This is called also a hybrid.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse; usually sterile
2: a slipper that has no fitting around the heel [syn: mule, scuff]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French mul, from Latin mulus Date: 13th century 1. a. a hybrid between a horse and a donkey; especially the offspring of a male donkey and a mare b. a self-sterile plant whether hybrid or not c. a usually sterile hybrid 2. a very stubborn person 3. a machine for simultaneously drawing and twisting fiber into yarn or thread and winding it into cops 4. slang a person who smuggles or delivers illicit substances (as drugs) II. noun Etymology: Middle French, a kind of slipper, from Latin mulleus shoe worn by magistrates Date: 1562 a shoe or slipper without quarter or heel strap — compare scuff

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. 1 the offspring (usu. sterile) of a male donkey and a female horse, or (in general use) of a female donkey and a male horse (cf. HINNY(1)), used as a beast of burden. 2 a stupid or obstinate person. 3 (often attrib.) a hybrid and usu. sterile plant or animal (mule canary). 4 (in full spinning mule) a kind of spinning-machine producing yarn on spindles. Etymology: ME f. OF mul(e) f. L mulus mula 2. n. a light shoe or slipper without a back. Etymology: F 3. var. of MEWL.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Mule Mule (m[=u]l), n. [F., a she-mule, L. mula, fem. of mulus; cf. Gr. my`klos, mychlo`s. Cf. AS. m[=u]l, fr. L. mulus. Cf. Mulatto.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) A hybrid animal; specifically, one generated between an ass and a mare, sometimes a horse and a she-ass. See Hinny. Note: Mules are much used as draught animals. They are hardy, and proverbial for stubbornness. 2. (Bot.) A plant or vegetable produced by impregnating the pistil of one species with the pollen or fecundating dust of another; -- called also hybrid. 3. A very stubborn person. 4. A machine, used in factories, for spinning cotton, wool, etc., into yarn or thread and winding it into cops; -- called also jenny and mule-jenny. Mule armadillo (Zo["o]l.), a long-eared armadillo (Tatusia hybrida), native of Buenos Aires; -- called also mulita. See Illust. under Armadillo. Mule deer (Zo["o]l.), a large deer (Cervus, or Cariacus, macrotis) of the Western United States. The name refers to its long ears. Mule pulley (Mach.), an idle pulley for guiding a belt which transmits motion between shafts that are not parallel. Mule twist, cotton yarn in cops, as spun on a mule; -- in distinction from yarn spun on a throstle frame.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(mules) 1. A mule is an animal whose parents are a horse and a donkey. N-COUNT 2. A mule is a shoe or slipper which is open around the heel. N-COUNT: usu pl

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. pered), so called from the quick step of the animal or its power of carrying loads. It is not probable that the Hebrews bred mules, as this was strictly forbidden in the law (Lev. 19:19), although their use was not forbidden. We find them in common use even by kings and nobles (2 Sam. 18:9; 1 Kings 1:33; 2 Kings 5:17; Ps. 32:9). They are not mentioned, however, till the time of David, for the word rendered "mules" (R.V. correctly, "hot springs") in Gen. 36:24 (yemim) properly denotes the warm springs of Callirhoe, on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. In David's reign they became very common (2 Sam. 13:29; 1 Kings 10:25).

Mules are not mentioned in the New Testament. Perhaps they had by that time ceased to be used in Palestine.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mul (peredh (1Ki 10:25; 18:5; Ezr 2:66; Isa 66:20; Zec 14:15), the feminine pirdah (1Ki 1:33,38,44), rekhesh, "swift steeds," the King James Version "mules" (Es 8:10,14), 'achashteranim, "used in the king's service," the King James Version "camels," the Revised Version margin "mules" (Es 8:10,14), yemim, "hot springs," the King James Version "mules" (Ge 36:24); hemionos, "half-ass," "mule" (1 Esdras 5:43; Judith 15:11)): Mules are mentioned as riding animals for princes (2Sa 13:29; 18:9; 1Ki 1:33,38,44); in the tribute brought to Solomon (2Ch 9:24); as beasts of burden (2Ki 5:17; 1Ch 12:40); horses and mules are obtained from the "house of Togarmah" in the distant north (Eze 27:14). The injunction of Ps 32:9, "Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding," need not be understood as singling out the horse and mule as more in need of guidance than the rest of the brute creation, but rather as offering familiar examples to contrast with man who should use his intelligence.

At the present day mules are used as pack animals and for drawing freight wagons, rarely for riding. One does not often see in Palestine mules as large and fine as are common in Europe and America. This may be because most of the mares and many of the donkeys are small.

Alfred Ely Day

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Hybrid, mongrel, hinny.

Moby Thesaurus

Cape Colored, Eurasian, Siberian husky, ass, bastard, beast of burden, bigot, bitter-ender, bullethead, camel, cattalo, citrange, cross, crossbred, crossbreed, diehard, dogmatist, donkey, draft animal, dromedary, elephant, fanatic, griffe, half blood, half-bred, half-breed, half-caste, hardnose, high yellow, hinny, horse, husky, hybrid, intransigeant, intransigent, jennet, jenny, ladino, last-ditcher, liger, llama, malamute, manlike, manly, masculine, maverick, mestee, mestiza, mestizo, metis, metisse, mixblood, mixed-blood, mongrel, mulatto, mustee, octoroon, ox, pack horse, perverse fool, pighead, plumcot, positivist, purist, quadroon, quintroon, reindeer, sambo, silkworm, sledge dog, spider, spinner, spinning frame, spinning jenny, spinster, standpat, standpatter, stickler, sumpter, sumpter horse, sumpter mule, tangelo, throstle, tigon, zebrass, zebrule