mule

[ myool ]

/ myul /

noun

the sterile offspring of a female horse and a male donkey, valued as a work animal, having strong muscles, a body shaped like a horse, and donkeylike long ears, small feet, and sure-footedness. Compare hinny.

any hybrid between the donkey and the horse.

Informal. a very stubborn person.

Botany. any sterile hybrid.

Slang. a person paid to carry or transport contraband, especially drugs, for a smuggler.

a small locomotive used for pulling rail cars, as in a coal yard or on an industrial site, or for towing, as of ships through canal locks.

Also called spinning mule. a machine for spinning cotton or other fibers into yarn and winding the yarn on spindles.

Nautical. a large triangular staysail set between two masts and having its clew set well aft.

Numismatics. a hybrid coin having the obverse of one issue and the reverse of the succeeding issue, or vice versa.

Biology. a hybrid, especially one between the canary and some other finch.

Origin of mule

before 1000; Middle English < Old French < Latin mūla mule (feminine); replacing Old English mūl < Latin mūlus (masculine)

Words nearby mule

mulch, mulcher, mulciber, mulct, muldoon, mule, mule chest, mule deer, mule skinner, mule spinning, mule train

Definition for mules (2 of 2)

mule ²

[ myool ]

/ myul /

noun

a lounging slipper that covers the toes and instep or only the instep.

a woman's shoe resembling this.

Origin of mule

1350–1400; Middle English: sore spot on the heel, chilblain, perhaps < Middle Dutch mūle

Example sentences from the Web for mules

Three other mules from the Crimean city of Sevastopol were detained at a road checkpoint with $400,000 in cash on them.

Ukraine Foreign Minister Speaks of Mistrust—and a Truce |Jamie Dettmer |April 19, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Each slave then attend to the respective chores given—feeding the mules, cutting wood, etc.

The ‘12 Years a Slave’ Book Shows Slavery As Even More Appalling Than In the Film |Jimmy So |October 18, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
“Some of them are kidnapped and used as [drug] mules,” she says.

A Beauty Queen Takes Kabul |Elise Jordan |September 17, 2010 |DAILY BEAST
The Bishop did not understand Latin so offered up a prayer for he and she mules.

The Rise of the Mediaeval Church |Alexander Clarence Flick

“Get your mules along as quick as you can, Wyndham,” he said.

In the Whirl of the Rising |Bertram Mitford
Bright and early in the morning the mules and litters came, and we were three hours at work, loading and arranging everything.

The Siberian Overland Route from Peking to Petersburg, |Alexander Michie
The mules passing into a deep cavern, escaped the sight of their pursuer, and preserved themselves from danger.

Mythical Monsters |Charles Gould
We crept slowly down, our mules at times seeming to walk on their heads.

The Rifle Rangers |Captain Mayne Reid

British Dictionary definitions for mules (1 of 3)

mules

/ (mjuːlz) /

verb

(tr) Australian to perform the Mules operation on (a sheep)

British Dictionary definitions for mules (2 of 3)

mule ¹

/ (mjuːl) /

noun

the sterile offspring of a male donkey and a female horse, used as a beast of burden Compare hinny 1

any hybrid animal a mule canary

Also called: spinning mule a machine invented by Samuel Crompton that spins cotton into yarn and winds the yarn on spindles

informal an obstinate or stubborn person

slang a person who is paid to transport illegal drugs for a dealer

Word Origin for mule

C13: from Old French mul, from Latin mūlus ass, mule

British Dictionary definitions for mules (3 of 3)

mule ²

/ (mjuːl) /

noun

a backless shoe or slipper

Word Origin for mule

C16: from Old French from Latin mulleus a magistrate's shoe

Idioms and Phrases with mules

mule

see stubborn as a mule.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

mule

noun

Origin of mule

Words nearby mule

Definition for mules (2 of 2)

noun

Origin of mule

Example sentences from the Web for mules

British Dictionary definitions for mules (1 of 3)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for mules (2 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for mule

British Dictionary definitions for mules (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for mule

Idioms and Phrases with mules

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

mule

noun

Origin of mule

Words nearby mule

Definition for mules (2 of 2)

noun

Origin of mule

Words related to mules

Example sentences from the Web for mules

British Dictionary definitions for mules (1 of 3)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for mules (2 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for mule

British Dictionary definitions for mules (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for mule

Idioms and Phrases with mules