# ass

/ˈæs/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ass
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. animal

noun · CEFR B2

a donkey or a similar animal with long ears.

For teachers: any of several species of horse-like mammals, specifically Equus asinus, often used as a beast of burden.

- The farmer used an ass to carry the heavy bags of grain up the hill.
- Historically, the domesticated ass served as a vital pack animal across arid regions where horses struggled to survive.

### 2. stupid person

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a person who is acting very stupidly or rudely.

For teachers: a foolish, stupid, or inconsiderate person; often used as a mild to moderate insult.

- Stop being such an ass and apologize for what you said.
- He made a complete ass of himself by arguing about a subject he clearly knew nothing about.

### 3. buttocks

noun · CEFR B2 · American English · Slang · Vulgar

the part of the body that you sit on.

For teachers: the buttocks or the anus; used as a vulgar anatomical reference.

- He fell right on his ass after slipping on the icy sidewalk.
- The comedian's routine was filled with vulgar jokes about his own ass and physical appearance.

### 4. oneself

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Slang · Vulgar

a way to refer to yourself or someone else, usually when talking about a difficult situation.

For teachers: used metonymically to refer to the person or the self, often in reflexive constructions or to emphasize physical presence.

- You need to get your ass over here right now.
- If they don't get their asses in gear, the project will never be finished by the deadline.

### 5. bad quality

adjective · CEFR C2 · American English · Slang · Vulgar

something that is very bad or of poor quality.

For teachers: of extremely low quality or unpleasant; functions as a predicative adjective in this sense.

- That movie was totally ass; I want my money back.
- The service at that restaurant was complete ass, so we decided never to return.

## Examples

- He fell right on his ass.
- The manager told him to get off his ass and start helping the customers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.