Word
arse
Phoneticsar·se
US/ˈɑɹs/
UK/ˈɑːs/
Definitions
01buttocks
C1 · Advanced Countable noun British English · Vulgar · Slang
n. the part of your body that you sit on.
n. the buttocks or backside. Used in British and Commonwealth English; the American equivalent is 'ass'.
“He fell right on his arse after slipping on the wet grass.”
“The cyclist suffered significant bruising to his arse after the high-speed collision during the final lap of the race.”
02a rude person
C1 · Advanced Countable noun British English · Vulgar · Slang
n. a very annoying, stupid, or mean person.
n. a contemptible, stupid, or arrogant person. Used as a derogatory label for someone whose behaviour is considered intolerable.
“Don't be such an arse and just help me with these bags.”
“He acted like a complete arse during the meeting, constantly interrupting his colleagues and dismissing their valid concerns.”
03to act silly
C1 · Advanced British English · Vulgar · Slang
v. to waste time or behave in a silly way, usually with 'about' or 'around'.
v. to behave in a foolish or unproductive manner; to mess around. Intransitive, typically followed by the particles 'about' or 'around'.
“Stop arsing about and get your homework finished.”
“The manager warned the staff that if they continued arsing around during the safety briefing, they would face formal disciplinary action.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“I suppose if I were Today’s editor, the phrase “pain in the arse” might come to mind.” “The last two years have been spectacular so I haven’t had to be the pesado [pain in the arse] often.” Etymology
From Middle English ars, ers, from Old English ærs, ears, from Proto-West Germanic ars, from Proto-Germanic arsaz (compare Dutch aars and German Arsch), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁órsos (“backside, buttocks”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. aris
03. arse over tip
04. arse over tit
05. ask my arse
07. bottle
08. bring one's arse to an anchor
Show all 18
11. hang an arse
12. Khyber
13. kiss arse
14. not hit a cow's arse with a banjo
15. plaster
17. smart arse
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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