Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Definition: Ass |
AssNoun1. The fleshy part of the human body that you sit on. 2. A pompous fool. 3. Hardy and sure-footed animal smaller and with longer ears than the horse. 4. Slang terms for sexual intercourse. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "ass" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Satire | ASS, n. A public singer with a good voice but no ear. In Virginia City, Nevada, he is called the Washoe Canary, in Dakota, the Senator, and everywhere the Donkey. The animal is widely and variously celebrated in the literature, art and religion of every age and country; no other so engages and fires the human imagination as this noble vertebrate. Indeed, it is doubted by some (Ramasilus, lib. Source: Devil's Dictionary. |
Bible | Ass frequently mentioned throughout Scripture. Of the domesticated species we read of, (1.) The she ass (Heb. 'athon), so named from its slowness (Gen. 12:16; 45:23; Num. 22:23; 1 Sam. 9:3). (2.) The male ass (Heb. hamor), the common working ass of Western Asia, so called from its red colour. Issachar is compared to a strong ass (Gen. 49:14). It was forbidden to yoke together an ass and an ox in the plough (Deut. 22:10). (3.) The ass's colt (Heb. 'air), mentioned Judg. 10:4; 12:14. It is rendered "foal" in Gen. 32:15; 49:11. (Comp. Job 11:12; Isa. 30:6.) The ass is an unclean animal, because it does not chew the cud (Lev. 11:26. Comp. 2 Kings 6:25). Asses constituted a considerable portion of wealth in ancient times (Gen. 12:16; 30:43; 1 Chr. 27:30; Job 1:3; 42:12). They were noted for their spirit and their attachment to their master (Isa. 1:3). They are frequently spoken of as having been ridden upon, as by Abraham (Gen. 22:3), Balaam (Num. 22:21), the disobedient prophet (1 Kings 13:23), the family of Abdon the judge, seventy in number (Judg. 12:14), Zipporah (Ex. 4:20), the Shunammite (1 Sam. 25:30), etc. Zechariah (9:9) predicted our Lord's triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, "riding upon an ass, and upon a colt," etc. (Matt. 21:5, R.V.). Of wild asses two species are noticed, (1) that called in Hebrew _'arod_, mentioned Job 39:5 and Dan. 5:21, noted for its swiftness; and (2) that called _pe're_, the wild ass of Asia (Job 39:6-8; 6:5; 11:12; Isa. 32:14; Jer. 2:24; 14:6, etc.). The wild ass was distinguished for its fleetness and its extreme shyness. In allusion to his mode of life, Ishmael is likened to a wild ass (Gen. 16:12. Here the word is simply rendered "wild" in the Authorized Version, but in the Revised Version, "wild-ass among men"). Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary. |
Dream Interpretation | To see an ass in a dream, you will meet many annoyances, and delays will accrue in receiving news or goods. To see donkeys carrying burdens, denotes that, after patience and toil, you will succeed in your undertakings, whether of travel or love. If an ass pursues you, and you are afraid of it, you will be the victim of scandal or other displeasing reports. If you unwillingly ride on one, or, as jockey, unnecessary quarrels may follow. Source: Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted .... |
Literature | Ass (See Golden Ass .) Ass The ass on which Mahomet went to heaven to learn the will of God was called Al Borak (the lightning). Ass. There is a dark stripe running down the back of an ass, crossed by another at the shoulders. The tradition is that this cross was communicated to the creature when our Lord rode on the back of an ass in His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. (See Christian Traditions.) Ass, deaf to music. This tradition arose from the hideous noise made by "Sir Balaam" in braying. Because Midas had no power to appreciate music, Apollo gave him the ears of an ass. (See Ass-eared.) "Avarice is as deaf to the voice of virtue, as the ass to the voice of Apollo." - Orlando Furioso , xvii. An ass in a lion's skin. A coward who hectors, a fool that apes the wise man. The allusion is to the fable of an ass that put on a lion's hide, but was betrayed when he began to bray. An ass with two panniers. A man walking the streets with a lady on each arm. This occupies the whole pavement, and is therefore bad manners well meriting the reproach. In Italy they call such a simpleton a pitcher with two handles, his two arms akimbo forming the two handles. In London we call it walking bodkin , because the man is sheathed like a bodkin and powerless. Our expression is probably a corruption of the French Faire le panier à deux anses ("put your arms akimbo" or "make yourself a basket with two handles"). The ass waggeth his ears. This proverb is applied to those who lack learning, and yet talk as if they were very wise; men wise in their own conceit. The ass, proverbial for having no "taste for music," will nevertheless wag its ears at a "concord of sweet sounds," just as if it could well appreciate it. Till the ass ascends the ladder - i.e. never. A rabbinical expression. The Romans had a similar one, Cum asinus in tegulis ascenderit (when the ass climbs to the tiles). And Buxtorf has Si ascenderit asinus per scalas. Sell your ass. Get rid of your foolish ways. That which thou knowest not perchance thine ass can tell thee: An allusion to Balaam's ass. To make an ass of oneself. To do something very foolish. To expose oneself to ridicule. To mount the ass (French). To become bankrupt. The allusion is to a custom very common in the sixteenth century of mounting a bankrupt on an ass, with his face to its tail. Thus mounted, the defaulter was made to ride through the principal thoroughfares of the town. Asses have ears as well as pitchers. Children, and even the densest minds, hear and understand many a word and hint which the speaker supposed would pass unheeded. Asses that carry the mysteries (asinus portat mysteria). A classical knock at the Roman clergy. The allusion is to the custom of employing asses to carry the cista which contained the sacred symbols, when processions were made through the streets. (Warburton: Divine Legaton, ii. 4.) Well, well! honey is not for the ass's mouth. Persuasion will not persuade fools. The gentlest words will not divert the anger of the unreasonable. Wrangle for an ass's shadow. To contend about trifles. The tale told by Demosthenes is, that a man hired an ass to take him to Megara; and at noon, the sun being very hot, the traveller dismounted, and sat himself down in the shadow of the ass. Just then the owner came up and claimed the right of sitting in this shady spot, saying that he let out the ass for hire, but there was no bargain made about the ass's shade. The two men then fell to blows to settle the point in dispute. A passer-by told the traveller to move on, and leave the owner of the beast to walk in the ass's shadow as long as he thought proper. Source: Brewer's Dictionary. |
Multilingual Slang | Arabic (teez ), Austrian (Oasch), Azerbaijani (Go^t), Bielorussian (sraka ), Bulgarian (sadnik), Catalan (cul ), Czech (prdel ), Dutch (reet), Finnish (perse), French (cul), Hindi (gaandu ), Hungarian (segg ), Polish (dupa), Romanian (cur ), Russian (z*opa), Scots (erse), Spanish (culo, orto ), Swedish (röv , stjärt, rumpa), Ukrainian (zhopa), Yiddish (tokhes). (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
See:
- Donkey
- Buttocks
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Ass."
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
The donkey or domestic ass (Equus asinus) is a domesticated animal used to carry loads, pull carts, and carry riders. The wild ancestors of the donkey are African. Donkeys are equids, generally smaller than the domestic horse, though mammoth jacks can be as large as 17 hands (170cm at the shoulder). They have long ears and great endurance.
A male donkey (jackass or jack) can be crossed with a female horse to produce a mule and a male horse crossed with a female donkey (jennet or jenny) to produce a hinny. These crossings are almost always sterile due to the fact that horses have 64 chromosomes and donkeys have 62, producing offspring with 63 chromosomes.
Cultural aspects
Their reputation for stubborness is due to some handlers' misinterpretation of their highly-developed sense of self preservation. It is difficult to force or frighten a donkey into doing something it sees as contrary to its own best interest. Donkeys are quite intelligent, cautious, friendly, playful, and eager to learn. Once you have earned their confidence they can be willing and companionable partners in work and recreation.
The ass was a symbol of the Egyptian god, Ra, the Greek god Dionysus as well as Jesus Christ, who is said to have ridden the animal into Jerusalem; this is the origin of the cross on its shoulders. Greek mythology also includes the story of King Midas who judged against Apollo in favor of Pan during a musical contest and had his ears changed to those of a donkey as punishment.
An Indian tale has an ass dressed in a panther skin give himself away by braying, while one of Aesop's fables similarly has an ass dressed in a lion skin who gives himself away by braying. A German proverb claims a donkey can wear a lion suit but its ear will still stick out and give it away. English proverbs include better be the head of an ass than the tail of a horse, if an ass goes a-traveling, he'll not come back a horse and better ride on an ass that carries me home than a horse that throws me.
European folklore also claims that the tail of a donkey can be used to combat whooping cough or scorpion stings.
The donkey has long been a symbol of ignorance. Examples can be found in Aesop's Fables, Apuleius's The Golden Ass (The Metamorphoses of Lucius Apuleius) and Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Donkey."
| The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted. | |||
| Entry | Source | Expression | Field |
ASS | English | Address selection switch | N/A |
ASS | French | Alliance suisse des samaritains | Public Administration, Medicine |
ASS | German | Auslandschweizer-Sekretariat | Education |
ASS | Italian | Aiuto statale allo sviluppo | Public Administration |
| Ass.féd. | French | Assemblée fédérale | Law, Politics & International Affaires |
| Ass. | German | Assistent(in) | Labor |
| Ass. | Italian | Assoluto | Language, Physics |
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |||
Synonyms: AssSynonyms: arse (n), backside (n), behind (n), bottom (n), bum (n), buns (n), butt (n), buttocks (n), can (n), derriere (n), fanny (n), fuck (n), fucking (n), fundament (n), hind end (n), hindquarters (n), keister (n), nates (n), nookie (n), nooky (n), piece of ass (n), posterior (n), prat (n), rear (n), rear end (n), roll in the hay (n), rump (n), screw (n), screwing (n), seat (n), shag (n), shtup (n), stern (n), tail (n), tail end (n), tooshie (n), tush (n). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Assent | Phrase: avec plaisir; chi tace accousente; "the public mind is the creation of the Master-Writers"; you bet your sweet ass it is; what are we waiting for? whenever you're ready; anytime you're ready. |
Bungler | Land lubber; fresh water sailor, fair weather sailor; horse marine; fish out of water, ass in lion's skin,land lubber; fresh water sailor, fair weather sailor; horse marine; fish out of water, ass in lion's skin, jackdaw in peacock's feathers; quack; (deceiver); lord of misrule. |
Carrier | Ass, donkey, jackass, mule, hinny; sumpter horse, sumpter mule; burro, cuddy, ladino; reindeer; camel, dromedary, llama, elephant; carrier pigeon. |
Deceiver | Imposter, pretender, soi-disant, humbug; adventurer; Cagliostro, Fernam Mendez Pinto; ass in lion's skin; (bungler); actor; (stage player). |
Deception | Decoy, waylay, lure, beguile, delude, inveigle; entrap, intrap, ensnare; nick, springe; set a trap, lay a trap, lay a snare for; bait the hook, forelay, spread the toils, lime; trapan, trepan; kidnap; let in, hook in; nousle, nousel; blind a trail; enmesh, immesh; shanghai; catch, catch in a trap; sniggle, entangle, illaqueate, hocus, escamoter, practice on one's credulity; hum, humbug; gammon, stuff up, sell; play a trick upon one, play a practical joke upon one, put something over on one, put one over on; balk, trip up, throw a tub to a whale; fool to the top of one's bent, send on a fool's errand; make game, make a fool of, make an April fool of, make an ass of; trifle with, cajole, flatter; come over; (influence); gild the pill, make things pleasant, divert, put a good face upon; dissemble. |
Flattery | Verb: flatter, praise to the skies, puff; wheedle, cajole, glaver, coax; fawn upon, faun upon; humor, gloze, soothe, pet, coquet, slaver, butter; jolly; bespatter, beslubber, beplaster, beslaver; lay it on thick, overpraise; earwig, cog, collogue; truckle to, pander to, pandar to, suck up to, kiss the ass of, pay court to; court; creep into the good graces of, curry favor with, hang on the sleeve of; fool to the top of one;s bent; lick the dust. |
Fool | Noun: fool, idiot, tomfool, wiseacre, simpleton, witling, dizzard, donkey, ass; ninny, ninnyhammer; chowderhead, chucklehead; dolt, booby, Tom Noddy, looby, hoddy-doddy, noddy, nonny, noodle, nizy, owl; goose, goosecap; imbecile; gaby; radoteur, nincompoop, badaud, zany; trifler, babbler; pretty fellow; natural, niais. |
Irresolution | Waverer, ass between two bundles of hay; butterfly; wimp; doughface. |
Servility | Sneak, crawl, crouch, cower, sponge, truckle to, grovel, fawn, lick the feet of, kiss the hem of one's garment, kiss one's ass, suck up. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | So you can eat my ass! (American Pie 2; writing credit: Adam Herz; David H. Steinberg) He will be in cahoots with the Columbia Record and Tape Company guy who's been after my ass for years (Reality Bites; writing credit: Ben Stiller, written by Helen Childress.) I'll tell you what, you can get a good look at a t-bone by sticking your head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it. (Tommy Boy; writing credit: Bonnie Turner and Terry Turner.) You can't ride two horses with one ass. (Sweet Home Alabama; writing credit: C. Jay Cox) Gosh! You have my last name tattooed right there under the j's! First I get my name in the phone book and now I'm on your ass! You know, I bet more people see that than the phone book (The Jerk; writing credit: Carl Reiner, written by Steve Martin and Carl Gottlieb.) | |
Lyrics | And every thug needs a down ass bitch,huh, feel me (Down Ass Bitch; performing artist: Ja Rule) We in that sunshine state with a bomb ass hemp beat (California Love; performing artist: 2 PAC) Kicking my own ass but I could never really feel relaxed and looked out (Unsent; performing artist: Alanis Morissette) A dog couldn't catch me ass out (No Diggity; performing artist: Blackstreet) Soon turned out to be a pain in the ass ("Heart of Glass"; performing artist: Blondie) | |
Clever | WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may make you think you have mystical Kung Fu powers, resulting in you getting your ass kicked. (references; author: unknown) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Taylor Mead's Ass (1965) Pique Ass (1922) Best Ass in the World (2003) I Like It Black (And in My Ass) (2003) Ass Cream Pie 2 (2003) | |
Song Titles | Down Ass Chick (performing artist: Ja Rule) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
References |
|
Books | |
Theater & Movies | |
Music |
|
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
![]() | The modern balaam and his ass. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | "Let every one take care of himself" (As the Jack ass said when he was dancing among the chickens). Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | The Baltimoreans going the whole ass tail and all. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | The ass carrying salt. Credit: Library of Congress. |
![]() | The horse and the loaded ass. Credit: Library of Congress. | ![]() | The prophet and the ass. Credit: Library of Congress. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
![]() | ![]() |
| "Ass City Marathon" by Mark Davis Commentary: "Downtown Toledo, Ohio displaying the upcoming marathon in a humorous way." | "Big Ass Cross" by Luke Partridge Commentary: "Silly sized, 100 foot, cross. ." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| Play | Caption |
| Blockhead; bonehead; dolt; donkey; dope; dunce; fool; halfwit; idiot; imbecile; jackass; jerk; nincompoop; nitwit; numskull; schmuck; simpleton; twerp; twit; ass; birdbrain; blockhead; bonehead; boob; bore; buffoon; butt; chump; clod; clown; cretin; dimwi. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Author | Quotation |
Arthur Schopenhauer | Books are like a mirror. If an ass looks in, you can't expect an angel to look out. |
Lyndon Baines Johnson | While you're saving your face, you're losing your ass. |
Mencius | To raise a son without learning is raising an ass; to raise a daughter without learning is raising a pig. |
Robert Burton | A mere scholar, a mere ass. |
Shakespeare | Who knows himself a braggart, let him fear this; for it will come to pass that every braggart shall be found an ass. |
Sir Richard Burton | A man that hoards up riches and enjoys them not, is like an ass that carries gold and eats thistles. |
St. Francis and Assisi | I have sinned against my brother the ass. |
William Blake | The Goddess Fortune is the devil's servant, ready to kiss any one's ass. |
William James | We want all our friends to tell us our bad qualities; it is only the particular ass that does so whom we can't tolerate. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Title | Author | Quote |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | One day he arrived at Senez, formerly the seat of a bishopric, mounted on an ass. |
Grapes of Wrath | Steinbeck, John | If you men want to sit here on your ass, O. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Business | However, other adjustments were made concerning opening charges as well ass the definition of low and peak traffic. (references) | |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | EPIGRAM, n. A short, sharp saying in prose or verse, frequently characterize by acidity or acerbity and sometimes by wisdom. Following are some of the more notable epigrams of the learned and ingenious Dr. Jamrach Holobom: We know better the needs of ourselves than of others. To serve oneself is economy of administration. In each human heart are a tiger, a pig, an ass and a nightingale. Diversity of character is due to their unequal activity. There are three sexes; males, females and girls. Beauty in women and distinction in men are alike in this: they seem to be the unthinking a kind of credibility. Women in love are less ashamed than men. They have less to be ashamed of. While your friend holds you affectionately by both your hands you are safe, for you can watch both his. |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Phrase(s) |
Bill Maher | I don't want them treated inhumanely, but I don't think we have to kiss their ass either, which seems to be what we're doing. We cater to all their religious needs. |
Dennis Miller | What lifts my ass off the can is when people who have smoked for fifty years are amazed when they get lung cancer. |
Ed McMahon | You know, in those days, you couldn't say ass on television. You know, now, it's all over the place. But, then, they would bleep it. But Jimmy Stewart, they left it in. The censors left it in. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| "Ass" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 93.56% of the time. "Ass" is used about 295 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 93.56% | 276 | 17,631 |
| Unclassified Items | 3.05% | 9 | 117,287 |
| Lexical Verb (base form) | 2.03% | 6 | 143,867 |
| Lexical Verb (infinitive) | 0.68% | 2 | 245,945 |
| Noun (plural) | 0.34% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Noun (common) | 0.34% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 295 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes names derived from the word "ass". | |||
| Name | Gender | Language | Meaning |
| Arad | N/A | Biblical | A wild ass |
| Emmor | N/A | Biblical | An ass |
| Hamor | N/A | Biblical | An ass |
| Irad | N/A | Biblical | Wild ass |
| Piram | N/A | Biblical | A wild ass of them |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references.
| |||
Expressions using "ass": african wild ass ♦ ass about ♦ ass in lion's skin ♦ be like buridan's ass ♦ domestic ass ♦ jenny ass ♦ kiss one's ass ♦ lick smb.'s ass ♦ make an ass of ♦ make an ass of oneself ♦ pain in the ass ♦ piece of ass ♦ pompous ass ♦ smart ass ♦ To make an ass of one's self ♦ wild ass ♦ you bet your sweet ass it is. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "ass": ass-bones, ass-driver, ass-freezing, ass-hole, ass-mar, ass-meat, ass-wipe. | |
Ending with "ass": kick-ass, smart-ass. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day | Expression | Frequency per Day |
ass | 19,883 | phat ass | 606 |
big ass | 3,339 | asian ass | 527 |
black ass | 3,250 | free ass | 513 |
nice ass | 2,259 | bad ass buddy icon | 508 |
tight ass | 1,474 | ass lick | 506 |
tit and ass | 1,407 | round ass | 478 |
fat ass | 1,384 | ass to mouth | 478 |
hot ass | 1,237 | cum on my ass | 445 |
teen ass | 1,179 | ass big round tit | 415 |
ass licking | 1,042 | ass sex | 415 |
ass picture | 1,016 | latina ass | 393 |
big black ass | 935 | ass gallery | 363 |
ass rate | 826 | best ass | 359 |
sexy ass | 757 | thong ass | 355 |
perfect ass | 746 | bad ass buddy | 346 |
free ass picture | 670 | great ass | 333 |
ebony ass | 668 | hairy ass | 333 |
jennifer lopez ass | 652 | mature ass | 314 |
up the ass | 294 | ||
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Translations for "ass"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Afrikaans | groutjie (donkey), esel (donkey), donkie (donkey). (various references) | |
Albanian | veshgjatë (donkey), idiot (cretin, dizzy, fool, idiot, idiotic, natural), handikapat, gomar (cuddy, donkey, imbecility, jackass, moke, mutton head, Neddy, owl, stupid person), bythë (arse, backside, buttock, fundament, seat), budalla (anserine, anserous, asinine, blunderhead, booby, brainless, cabbage-head, chuckle-head, clod, cloddish, clod-poll, cockeyed, daft, dense, Dick, dim witted, dimwit, dumb, dumbbell, fathead, fool, gaby, gaga, goof, goofy, goon, Goosey, gowk, half wit, idiot, idle-headed, imbecile, jobbernowl, jolterhead, josser, juggins, loon, mindless, moke, muff, mutton head, mutton-headed, nerd, nincompoop, ninny, ninny-hammer, nitwit, noddy, noodle, numskull, nut, owl, pin head, pumpkin-head, sheep's head, silly, slow witted, softhead, soft-headed, softy, spoony, stupid, tomfool, tom-noddy, witless). (various references) | |
Arabic | كفل (backside, bottom, butt, buttock, buttocks, ensure, guarantee, guaranty, insure, pledge, posterior, prat, rump, secure, sponsor, vouch), مؤخرة (backside, behind, bum, butt, buttock, in the end, prat, rearward, stern), حمارة, حمار (burro, donkey, jackass, loutish, stupid), أحمق (barmy, berk, bonkers, brutish, childish, chuckle-head, chump, cuckoo, daft, empty, empty headed, fantastic, fat, fathead, fatuous, foolish, footless, goofy, goon, haywire, idiotic, impolitic, imprudent, indiscreet, inept, injudicious, insensate, jerk, lemon, mad, meaningless, nit, nitwit, nonsensical, numskull, ornery, oyster, perverse, pointless, prat, screwball, senseless, sod, stupid, unwise, vacant, wacky, weak, weak-minded, whacky, witless, wood-headed, zany), أبله (asinine, brainless, coot, cuckoo, daw, dense, dim witted, dullard, fatuous, feeble minded, gaga, gawky, goofy, half-witted, idiotic, imbecile, lemon, mad, patsy, screwed, sheepish, silly, sod, sodden, softy, soppy, stick in the mud, stupid, vacant, vacuous, wood-headed). (various references) | |
Basque | asto (donkey). (various references) | |
Bulgarian | тъпак (blockhead, blunderhead, dimwit, dolt, dope, dumbbell, dunce, dunderhead, fool, jolterhead, leather-head, loggerhead, loon, lug, lummox, lunkhead, sheep's head, thick, tomnoddy, witling, yo-yo), магаре (dicky, donkey, jackass, moke). (various references) | |
Catalan | ase (donkey). (various references) | |
Chinese | 驢子 (donkey), 驴子 (Asses). (various references) | |
Czech | osel (donkey, dunce, fool, jackass), hlupák (blockhead, booby, chump, dolt, dotterel, dottrel, dunce, dupe, fool, gaby, half wit, idiot, ignoramus, jobbernowl, leather-head, loggerhead, pudding-head, sap-head, simpleton, thick-head, tomfool). (various references) | |
Danish | æsel (donkey). (various references) | |
Dutch | ezel (bench, donkey, easel, tressle, workbench). (various references) | |
Esperanto | azeno (donkey). (various references) | |
Faeroese | asni (donkey), rumpuhol (anus, arse), gat (anus, arse), ásin (donkey). (various references) | |
Farsi | کون , خر (Asinine, Donkey), الاغ (Donkey), ادم نادان وکندذهن . (various references) | |
Finnish | aasi (donkey, dunce). (various references) | |
French | baudet, âne. (various references) | |
Frisian | gat (anus, arse, backside, rump), ezel (donkey), ears (anus, arse). (various references) | |
German | esel (asses, burros, donkey, goat, jackass, jackasses, moke), arsch (anus, arse, arseBrit, backside, bastard, bugger, bum, butt, Fanny, prick, rump, sod, wanker). (various references) | |
Greek | κώλοσ (arse, bum, rectum), όνοσ (burro, donkey), γάιδαροσ (burro, donkey, jackass), γάιδαρος, βλάκας (bozo, dimwit, fool, idiot, nitwit). (various references) | |
Hebrew | חמור (austere, burro, critical, donkey, drastic, grave, jackass, moke, serious, severe, stern, strict, stringent). (various references) | |
Hungarian | szamár (asinine, burro, dickey, dicky, donkey, goosey, goosey-gander, jerusalem pony, moke, nincompoop, ninny), segg (arse, butt, fanny, kazoo, prat, pratt, tail). (various references) | |
Indonesian | orang tolol (booby, dimwit), keledai (burro, donkey). (various references) | |
Italian | ciuco (donkey, moke), asino (donkey, jackass, moke). (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 穴 (arse, buttocks, hole), けつの穴 (anal, but, garish, gaudy, however). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | けつのあな (anal), けつ (arse, buttocks, decision, deficiency, excellence, lack, mosquito larva, that, vacancy, vote). (various references) | |
Korean | 당나귀 (Asses). (various references) | |
Manx | assyl (donkey). (various references) | |
Norwegian | esel (donkey). (various references) | |
Occitan | ase (donkey). (various references) | |
Papiamen | buro (donkey), buriku (donkey), buriko (donkey). (various references) | |
Pig Latin | assay.(various references) | |
Portuguese | burro (donkey, dull, fool, idiot, ignoramus, jackass, moke, mule, neddy, silly, stupid). (various references) | |
Romanian | prost (bad, badly, beef-witted, blinkard, blockhead, blunt, booby, calf, cheap, clumsy, cock eyed, common, dead, dolt, doltish, donkey, dull, dullard, dumb, dunce, dunderhead, flat, fool, foolish, good for nothing, goof, goon, goose, Goosey, gull, harmful, idiot, idiotish, inhospitable, lousy, lubber-head, miserable, nincompoop, ninny, nitwit, nitwitted, noddy, noodle, numskull, numskulled, oaf, oafish, pin head, poor, poorly, silly, simple, simpleton, snipe, soft, soft-headed, sorry, spoony, stupid, thoughtless, unfavorable, unfavourable, wretched, zombie), mãgar (donkey, jackass, rascal), mãgãresc (asslike, donkey's), cur, şezut (buttocks, fundament). (various references) | |
Russian | осел;зад, осел (asses, cuddy, donkey, jackass, moke, mutton-head, Neddy), задница (bum), зад (arse, back, backside, breech, bum, croupe, duff, end, fanny 2, fundament, hams, posterior, prat), ишак. (various references) | |
Scottish | asal (an ass). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | zadnjica (backside, behind, butt, buttocks, fanny, fundament, nates, posterior, rear, rump), magarac (dicky, donkey, jackass, moke, neddy), guzica, dupe. (various references) | |
Spanish | burro (burro, donkey, dunce, idiot, jackass, moke, sawbuck, sawhorse), asno (donkey, gondola, jackass). (various references) | |
Sranan | buriki (donkey), bakasey (anus, arse). (various references) | |
Swahili | punda (donkey). (various references) | |
Swedish | åsna (dicky, donkey, jackass, moke). (various references) | |
Thai | ก้น (คำสแลง) (fanny), ก้น (arris, arse, bazoo, boodie, boody, bottom, bum, buns, butt, caboose, duff, gazoo, keester, keyster, khyber pass, kiester, kyber pass, labonza, rusty-dusty), งานที่ล้มเหลว (arse), ลา (donkey), คำอุทานแสดงความรำคาญ (arse, frig!, knackers!, knickers!). (various references) | |
Turkish | ahmak (addled, blockhead, boob, bumpkin, cabbagehead, chucklehead, chumpish, clot, country bumpkin, crass, cretin, deadly dull, dimwitted, dolt, doltish, dreary, dullish, dumb bell, dunderhead, dunderheaded, fathead, fool, foolish, gander, gawk, gawky, goat, goof, goose, greenhorn, Gubbins, half wit, half-witted, hayseed, idiot, jackass, jerk, josser, kookaburra, light in the head, loon, lummox, lump, muggins, mutt, mutton head, noddy, numskull, prune, pudding-head, sap, saphead, sappy, schlepper, simp, soft, stupid, twerp), kıç (arse, backside, behind, bottom, breech, bum, butt, buttocks, can, Fanny, fundament, ham, haunches, hindquarters, hip, nates, poop, posterior, rear, rear end, rump, slats, stern, tail, tail end, vent), göt (arse, Fanny, pluck), exek (donkey), eşek herif (jackass, kookaburra), eşek (asinine, cabbagehead, Dickey, dicky, donkey, moke, Neddy). (various references) | |
Ukrainian | телепень (addle-head, blockhead, boob, chuckle-head, chump, clod, cuckoo, dunderhead, fathead, gawk, oaf, pudding-head, pumpkin-head), віслюк, осел (brayer, donkey, jackass, moke), зад (arse, behind, breech, buttock, croup, fundament, posterior, prat), дурень (blunderhead, bone head, booby, bullhead, changeling, chump, clod, clot, dimwit, dolt, donkey, fool, fop, gander, imbecile, jackass, moke, mutton head, ninny, nitwit, noddy, noodle, numskull, omadhaun, owl, pinhead, pudding-head, softy, stupe, stupid, tomfool, you imbecile). (various references) | |
Vietnamese | người đần độn (beetle-brain, blockhead, boeotian, bone-head, chuckle-head, dolt, dope, dullard, fat-head, feather-brain, feather-head, numbskull, numskull, sheep's-head, thickhead), con lừa người ngu. (various references) | |
Welsh | asyn (donkey, he-ass). (various references) | |
Yucatec | it (anus, arse). (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | asini, asinis, asino, asinorum, asinos, asinum, asinus, Equus africanus f.asinus, RM:asen. (various references) |
| Old English | 450-1100 | assa. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Language | Date | Source | Mark Chapter 11, Verse 2 |
| Greek (transliterated) | 250 BC | Septuagint | Kai legei autoiV upagete eiV thn kwmhn thn katenanti umwn kai euqewV eisporeuomenoi eiV authn eurhsete pwlon dedemenon ef on oudeiV anqrwpwn kekaqiken lusanteV auton agagete |
| Latin | 405 | Vulgate | Et ait illis ite in castellum quod est contra vos et statim introeuntes illuc invenietis pullum ligatum super quem nemo adhuc hominum sedit solvite illum et adducite |
| Old English | 990 | West Saxon | & [quoth]. to heom. Fareð to þam casteleþe on-gean inc ys & gyt þær sone ge-meteð assen fole ge-teidne; ofer þane nan mangeot ne sæt. unteigeð hine & to me ge-lædeð. |
| Middle English | 1395 | Wyclif | Go ye in to the castel that is ayens you; and anoon as ye entren there ye schulen fynde a colt tied, on which no man hath sete yit; vntie ye, and brynge hym. |
| Renaissance English | 1526 | Tyndale | And sayde vnto the: Goo youre wayes into the toune that is over agaynst you. And assone as ye be entred into it ye shall fynde a coolte bounde wheron never man sate: loose him and bringe him. |
| Jacobean English | 1611 | King James | And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. |
| Victorian English | 1833 | Webster | And saith to them, Go into the village over against you: and as soon as ye have entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, on which never man sat; loose him, and bring him. |
| Basic English | 1964 | Ogden | And said to them, Go into the little town opposite: and when you come to it, you will see a young ass with a cord round his neck, on which no man has ever been seated; let him loose, and come back with him. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Mark Chapter 11, Verse 2 |
| Cebuano | nga nag-ingon, "Umadto kamo nianang balangay sa atbang ninyo, ug inigsulod ninyo didto inyong makita dayon ang usa ka nati nga asno nga gihigot, nga wala pa gayud hikabay-ig tawo; hubara ninyo kini ug dad-a dinhi. |
| Croatian | i kaže im: "Hajdete u selo pred vama. Èim u nj uðete, naæi æete privezano magare koje još nitko nije zajahao. Odriješite ga i vodite. |
| Danish | "Går hen til den Landsby, som ligger lige for eder, og straks, når I komme ind i den, skulle I finde et Føl bundet, på hvilket der endnu aldrig har siddet noget Menneske; løser det og fører det hid! |
| Dutch | En zeide tot hen: Gaat heen in het vlek, dat tegen u over is; en terstond als gij in hetzelve komt, zult gij vinden een veulen gebonden, op hetwelk geen mens gezeten heeft, ontbindt het, en brengt het. |
| Finnish | ja sanoi heille: "Menkää kylään, joka on edessänne, niin te kohta, kun sinne tulette, löydätte sidottuna varsan, jonka selässä ei yksikään ihminen vielä ole istunut; päästäkää se ja tuokaa tänne. |
| French | en leur disant: Allez au village qui est devant vous; dès que vous y serez entrés, vous trouverez un ânon attaché, sur lequel aucun homme ne s`est encore assis; détachez-le, et amenez-le. |
| Gaelic | Is thuirt e riutha: Siubhlaibh don bhaile a tha mur coinneamh, agus air ball a dol a stigh ann, gheibh sibh asal og an ceangal, air nach do shuidh duine riamh: fuasglaibh is thugaibh an so e. |
| German | und sprach zu ihnen: Gehet hin in den Flecken, der vor euch liegt; und alsbald, wenn ihr hineinkommt, werdet ihr finden ein Füllen angebunden, auf welchem nie ein Mensch gesessen hat; löset es ab und führet es her! |
| Haitian Creole | Li di yo: -Ale nan bouk ki devan nou an. Lè n'a rive, n'a jwenn yon jenn ti bourik mare. Pesonn poko janm moute sou li. Lage l', mennen l' ban mwen. |
| Hungarian | És monda nékik: Eredjetek abba a faluba, a mely elõttetek van; és a mikor abba bejuttok, azonnal találtok egy megkötött vemhet, a melyen ember nem ült még soha; azt oldjátok el és hozzátok ide. |
| Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari | "Pergilah ke kampung yang di depan itu," kata Yesus kepada mereka. "Begitu kalian masuk kampung itu, kalian akan melihat seekor anak keledai sedang terikat, yang belum pernah ditunggangi orang. Lepaskanlah keledai itu dan bawa kemari. |
| Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama | serta berkata kepada mereka itu, "Pergilah kamu ke dusun yang di hadapan kamu; apabila kamu masuk ke dalamnya, kamu akan jumpa seekor keledai muda tertambat, yang belum pernah ditunggang oleh seorang jua pun; orakkanlah talinya, bawa dia ke mari. |
| Italian | e disse loro: «Andate nel villaggio che vi sta di fronte, e subito entrando in esso troverete un asinello legato, sul quale nessuno è mai salito. Scioglietelo e conducetelo. |
| Maori | A i mea ia ki a raua, Haere ki te kainga e anga mai ana ki a korua: e tomo kau ki reira, ka kite korua i tetahi kuao e here ana, kahore ano kia nohoia e te tangata; wetekina, arahina mai. |
| Norwegian | Gå bort til den by som ligger rett for eder, og straks I kommer inn i den, skal I finne en fole bundet, som ennu aldri noget menneske har sittet på; løs den, og før den hit! |
| Rumanian | wi le -a zis: ,,Duceyi-vq kn satul dinaintea voastrq: kndatq ce veyi intra kn el, veyi gqsi un mqgqruw legat, pe care n`a kncqlecat kncq nici un om; deslegayi -l wi aduceyi-Mi -l. |
| Russian | Й ЗПЧПТЙФ ЙН: РПКДЙФЕ Ч УЕМЕОЙЕ, ЛПФПТПЕ РТСНП РЕТЕД ЧБНЙ; ЧИПДС Ч ОЕЗП, ФПФЮБУ ОБКДЕФЕ РТЙЧСЪБООПЗП НПМПДПЗП ПУМБ, ОБ ЛПФПТПЗП ОЙЛФП ЙЪ МАДЕК ОЕ УБДЙМУС; ПФЧСЪБЧ ЕЗП, РТЙЧЕДЙФЕ. |
| Shuar | Ujuiak Tímiayi "Aatunini pépruchiniam werum nuin umpuuru uchich jinkiamu Wáinkiattarme. Nu umpuuruka tuke entsamprukchamuiti. Nu atiarum utitiarum. |
| Spanish | y les dijo: --Id a la aldea que está frente a vosotros, y cuando hayáis entrado allí, en seguida hallaréis atado un borriquillo sobre el cual ningún hombre ha montado. Desatadlo y traedlo. |
| Swahili | akawaambia, "Nendeni katika kijiji kilicho mbele yenu. Mtakapokuwa mnaingia humo, mtakuta mwana punda amefungwa ambaye bado hajatumiwa na mtu. Mfungueni mkamlete. |
| Swedish | och sade till dem: "Gån in i byn som ligger mitt framför eder, så skolen I, strax då I kommen ditin, finna en åsnefåle stå där bunden, som ännu ingen människa har suttit på; lösen den och fören den hit. |
| Uma | na'uli' -raka: "Hilou-mokoi hi ngata to tanyanyohi toe mai. Wae pesua' -ni mpai' rala ngata, nihilo mpai' hama'a ana' keledai tehoo', to ko'ia hangkania rahawi'. Bongka koloro-na pai' keni-i tumai. |
Source: compiled by the editor from | |