外博词典，懂英语单词快速记忆法的在线英语词典
mule (n.1)
"hybrid offspring of donkey and horse," from Old English mul, Old French mul "mule, hinny" (12c., fem. mule), both from Latin mulus (fem. mula) "a mule," from Proto-Italic *musklo-, which is probably (along with Greek myklos "pack-mule," Albanian mushk "mule) a loan-word from a language of Asia Minor.
The mule combines the strength of the horse with the endurance and surefootedness of the ass, and is extensively bred for certain employments for which it is more suited than either; it is ordinarily incapable of procreation. With no good grounds, the mule is a proverbial type of obstinacy. [OED]
Properly, the offspring of a he-ass and a mare; that of a she-ass and a stallion is technically a hinny. The males are ordinarily incapable of procreation. Used allusively of hybrids and things of mixed nature. Meaning "obstinate, stupid, or stubborn person" is from 1470s; the sense of "stupid" seems to have been older, that of "stubborn" is by 18c.
As a type of spinning machine, it is attested from 1793 (as mule-jenny, 1788), so called because it is a "hybrid" of Arkwright's drawing-rollers and Hargreaves' jenny. The underworld slang sense of "narcotics smuggler or courier for a drug trafficker" is attested by 1935. The mule-deer of Western U.S. (1805) is so called for its large ears.
mule (n.2)
"loose slipper," 1560s, from French mule "slipper," from Latin mulleus calceus "red high-soled shoe," worn by Roman patricians, from mullus "red" (see mullet (n.1)). Related: Mules.
a 一 (个)
A 英语字母表的第一个字母
A 英语字母表的第一个字母
a cappella 清唱的
a fortiori 理由更充分
A Gordian Knot 难解的结；难题；难点
a la carte 按菜单点菜
A Penelope's Web 故意拖延的策略；永远做不完的工作
a posteriori 由果及因
a priori 由因及果
A Procrustean Bed （强求一致）：普罗克汝斯忒斯的铁床
aardvark 土豚
aback 大吃一惊
abacus （算盘）：用于算数的沙板
abacus 算盘
abacus 算盘
abalone 鲍鱼
abandon 放弃
abandon 遗弃，抛弃
abase 使低下，卑微，屈从
abash 使困窘
abashed 羞愧
abate 减轻
abate 减弱
abattoir 屠宰场
abba 阿爸
abbess 女修道院院长
abbey 隐修院
abbot （修道院院长）：阿拉姆语中对僧侣的尊称“父亲”
abbot 隐修院院长
abbreviate 缩短
abbreviate 缩写
abbreviate 缩写，简化
abbreviation 缩写，缩写词
abbreviator 缩写者
abdicate 退位
abdicate 退位
abdicate 退位，放弃(职位，权力等)
abdicator 弃权人，让位者，辞职者
abdomen 腹，腹部
abdomen 腹部
abdomenal 腹(部)的
abdominous 大肚子的，大腹便便的
abduct 诱拐
abduct 劫持，诱拐；绑架
abduction 绑架，拐骗，劫持
abecedarian （初步）：拉丁字母表中的前四个字母
Aberdonian 苏格兰阿伯丁人
aberrance 脱离正道，越轨，反常
aberrant 异常的
aberrant 反常的
aberrant 异常的
aberration 失常
abet （教唆）：纵狗斗熊游戏
abet 唆使，教唆，怂恿
abet 教唆
abet 教唆
abet 教唆，煽动，帮助，支持
abeyance 中止，搁置
abeyance 搁置
abeyance 中止
abhor 憎恶
abhor 憎恶
abhorrent 令人憎恶的
abide 忍受
abide 停留
abigail （侍女）：《圣经》中大卫王的妻子亚比该
abigail 侍女，女仆
ability 能力，才能
ability 能力
abiogenesis 自然发生(论)，非生物起源，无生源说
abiotic 非生物的
abject 卑鄙的
abject 悲惨的
abject 可怜的；凄惨的；卑鄙的
abjure 誓绝
abjure 声明放弃
ablation 消融，切除
ablation 冰雪消融
ablative 夺格
ablaze 燃烧的
able 有能力的
able 有能力的，能干的
Ableism 对残疾人的歧视
ablution 沐浴
ablution 洗身，沐浴
ablutions 净手礼
abnegate 放弃
abnegate 否认，放弃
