horses
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.more than one horse; large animals with four legs that people ride.
n.the plural form of the large, solid-hoofed herbivorous mammal (Equus ferus caballus).
Simple“The farmer kept several horses in the field behind the barn.”
In context“Wild horses still roam certain protected regions of the American West, though their populations are carefully managed by federal agencies.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.a casual way to talk about how much power a car engine has.
n.a slang clipping of horsepower, referring to the power output of an internal combustion engine.
Simple“That old truck has a lot of horses under the hood.”
In context“The mechanic explained that while the engine had plenty of horses, the transmission was too weak to handle the torque.”
UsageUsually used in the plural even when referring to the general concept of power.
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to play or move in a rough or silly way, usually with 'around'.
v.the third-person singular present indicative of 'horse'; typically used in the phrasal verb 'horse around' to mean engaging in boisterous play.
Simple“He always horses around when he should be finishing his homework.”
In context“The supervisor noticed that the crew often horses around during the afternoon lull, which occasionally leads to minor safety violations.”