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plural of 1 .
plural of 2 .
a long-eared, slow, patient, sure-footed domesticated mammal, equus asinus, related to the horse, used chiefly as a beast of burden.
any wild species of the genus equus, as the onager.
a stupid, foolish, or stubborn person.
.
a copper coin and early monetary unit of ancient rome, originally having a nominal weight of a pound of 12 ounces: discontinued c80 b.c.
a unit of weight equal to 12 ounces.
the b-ttocks.
the r-ct-m.
slang. s-xual intercourse.
contemporary examples

and every day, we bust our -sses to continue “making it,” but we most certainly have not “made it.”
how much money does a band really make on tour? jack conte december 7, 2014

“what they [the opposition leaders] do with their own -sses is their own business, but they need to be serious,” he snarled.
venezuela’s antigay politicians mac margolis august 17, 2013

they need to follow the lead of president obama: get their -sses on offense and keep them there.
health care’s air war benjamin sarlin august 4, 2009

we thanked them on stage for saving our -sses and supporting indie music.
how much money does a band really make on tour? jack conte december 7, 2014

as much as it pains americans to admit this, ronaldo saved our -sses.
why it’s still ok to hate s-xy b-st-rd cristiano ronaldo after he saved team usa emily shire june 25, 2014

historical examples

in the inscription to which reference has already been made, the price was eight -sses.
the satyricon, complete petronius arbiter

how true is it, that “sailors make their money like horses, and spend it like -sses!”
ned myers james fenimore cooper

the price of a wreath is given in a graffito as three -sses (p. 497).
pompeii, its life and art august mau

my mother, who saw that i did not relish the -sses’ milk, put in a word for me.
tales and novels, volume 9 (of 10) maria edgeworth

it is sent down in barrels on the backs of -sses, or mules, and served out by measure, according to the quant-ty procured.
a voyage round the world, vol. i james holman

conjunction (subordinating)
(often preceded by just) while; when; at the time that: he caught me as i was leaving
in the way that: dancing as only she can
that which; what: i did as i was told
(of) which fact, event, etc (referring to the previous statement): to become wise, as we all know, is not easy
as it were, in a way; so to speak; as if it were really so
as you were

a military command to withdraw an order, return to the previous position, etc
a statement to withdraw something just said

since; seeing that: as you’re in charge here, you’d better tell me where to wait
in the same way that: he died of cancer, as his father had done
in spite of the extent to which: intelligent as you are, i suspect you will fail
for instance: capital cities, as london
adverb, conjunction

used correlatively before an adjective or adverb and before a noun phrase or a clause to indicate ident-ty of extent, amount, etc: she is as heavy as her sister, she is as heavy now as she used to be
used with this sense after a noun phrase introduced by the same: she is the same height as her sister

preposition
in the role of; being: as his friend, i am probably biased
as for, as to, with reference to: as for my past, i’m not telling you anything
(formal) as from, as of, (in expressions of time) from: fares on all routes will rise as from january 11
as if, as though, as it would be if: he talked as if he knew all about it
as is, as it is, in the existing state of affairs: as it is, i shall have difficulty finishing all this work, without any more
as per, see per (sense 3)
as regards, see regard (sense 6)
as such, see such (sense 3)
such as, see such (sense 5)
as was, in a previous state
as well, see well1 (sense 13)
as yet, up to now; so far: i have received no compensation as yet
noun
an ancient roman unit of weight approximately equal to 1 pound troy (373 grams)
the standard monetary unit and copper coin of ancient rome
abbreviation
american samoa
symbol
(chem) -rs-nic
altostratus
abbreviation
also a.s.. anglo-saxon
antisubmarine
australian standards
noun
either of two perissodactyl mammals of the horse family (equidae), equus asinus (african wild -ss) or e. hemionus (asiatic wild -ss). they are hardy and sure-footed, having longer ears than the horse related adjective asinine
(not in technical use) the domesticated variety of the african wild -ss; donkey
a foolish or ridiculously pompous person
(irish, informal) not within an -ss’s roar of, not close to obtaining, winning, etc: she wasn’t within an -ss’s roar of it
noun
(mainly us & canadian, slang) the b-ttocks
(mainly us & canadian, slang) the -n-s
(mainly us & canadian, offensive, slang) s-xual intercourse or a woman considered s-xually (esp in the phrase piece of -ss)
(slang, mainly us & canadian) cover one’s -ss, to take such action as one considers necessary to avoid censure, ridicule, etc at a later time
adv.

c.1200, worn-down form of old english alswa “quite so” (see also), fully established by c.1400. equivalent to so; any distinction in use is purely idiomatic. related to german als “as, than,” from middle high german also. phrase as well “just as much” is recorded from late 15c.; the phrase also can imply “as well as not,” “as well as anything else.” interjection of incredulity as if! (i.e. “as if that really could happen”) is attested from 1995, an exact duplication of latin quasi.
n.

beast of burden, old english -ssa (old northumbrian -ssal, -ssald) “he–ss,” probably from old celtic -as(s)in “donkey,” which (with german esel, gothic asilus, lithuanian asilas, old church slavonic osl) ultimately is from latin asinus, which is probably of middle eastern origin (cf. sumerian ansu).

for al schal deie and al schal p-sse, als wel a leoun as an -sse. [john gower, “confessio amantis,” 1393]

since ancient greek times, in fables and parables, the animal typified clumsiness and stupidity (hence -sshead, late 15c., etc.). to make an -ss of oneself is from 1580s. -sses’ bridge (c.1780), from latin pons asinorum, is fifth proposition of first book of euclid’s “elements.” in middle english, someone uncomprehending or unappreciative would be lik an -sse that listeth on a harpe. in 15c., an -ss man was a donkey driver.

slang for “backside,” first attested 1860 in nautical slang, in popular use from 1930; chiefly u.s.; from dialectal variant pr-nunciation of -rs- (q.v.). the loss of -r- before -s- attested in several other words (e.g. burst/bust, curse/cuss, horse/hoss, b-rs-/b-ss). indirect evidence of the change from -rs- to -ss can be traced to 1785 (in euphemistic avoidance of -ss “donkey” by polite speakers) and perhaps to shakespeare, if nick bottom transformed into a donkey in “a midsummer night’s dream” (1594) is the word-play some think it is. meaning “woman regarded as a s-xual object” is from 1942. colloquial (one’s) -ss “one’s self, one’s person” attested by 1958.

as
the symbol for the element -rs-nic.

as abbr.
latin auris sinistra (left ear)
as
the symbol for -rs-nic.

noun

the b-ttocks; posterior; b-tt: a kick in the -ss
the -n-s; -sshole: you can take it and shove it up your -ss
a person regarded solely as a s-x partner or target; tail: she looks like good -ss
s-xual activity; s-xual gratification: he was out looking for -ss
the whole self; the person •used for emphasis and euphony: get your -ss out of here pr-nto/ i’m out in kansas for the first time, my -ss drafted

related terms

one’s -ss is dragging, someone’s -ss is on the line, bag -ss, barrel -ss, bet your boots, burn someone’s -ss, bust one’s -ss, candy -ss, candy–ssed, cold as h-ll, cover one’s -ss, dead-ss, drag -ss, drag one’s tail, dumb–ss, fall on one’s -ss, flat–ss, flat on one’s -ss, get one’s -ss in gear, get one’s head out of one’s -ss, get off one’s -ss, get the lead out, give someone a pain, go pound salt, gripe one’s -ss, one has had it, haul -ss, have a bug up one’s -ss, have someone’s -ss, have one’s -ss in a sling, have one’s head pulled, have one’s head up one’s -ss, have lead in one’s pants, one’s head is up one’s -ss, horse’s -ss, in a pig’s eye, jump through one’s -ss, kick -ss, a kick in the -ss, kiss my -ss, kiss someone’s -ss, man with a paper -ss, my -ss, no skin off my -ss, not have a hair on one’s -ss, not know one’s -ss from one’s elbow, on one’s -ss, out on one’s -ss, a pain in the -ss, piece of -ss, p-ssy, pull something out of one’s -ss, put one’s -ss on the line, raggedy–ss, a rat’s -ss, ratty, sh-g -ss, sh-t–ss, sit on one’s -ss, sit there with one’s finger up one’s -ss, smart–ss, soft–ss, stand around with one’s finger up one’s -ss, stick it, suck -ss, tear off a piece, throw someone out on someone’s -ss, tired–ss, up the -ss, up to one’s -ss in something, what’s-his-name, wild–ss, work one’s -ss off
-ssamese
-rs-nic
air speed
american samoa
anglo-saxon
antisubmarine
-ssociate in science

frequently mentioned throughout scripture. of the domesticated species we read of, (1.) the she -ss (heb. ‘athon), so named from its slowness (gen. 12:16; 45:23; num. 22:23; 1 sam. 9:3). (2.) the male -ss (heb. hamor), the common working -ss of western asia, so called from its red colour. issachar is compared to a strong -ss (gen. 49:14). it was forbidden to yoke together an -ss and an ox in the plough (deut. 22:10). (3.) the -ss’s colt (heb. ‘air), mentioned judg. 10:4; 12:14. it is rendered “foal” in gen. 32:15; 49:11. (comp. job 11:12; isa. 30:6.) the -ss is an unclean animal, because it does not chew the cud (lev. 11:26. comp. 2 kings 6:25). -sses const-tuted a considerable portion of wealth in ancient times (gen. 12:16; 30:43; 1 chr. 27:30; job 1:3; 42:12). they were noted for their spirit and their attachment to their master (isa. 1:3). they are frequently spoken of as having been ridden upon, as by abraham (gen. 22:3), balaam (num. 22:21), the disobedient prophet (1 kings 13:23), the family of abdon the judge, seventy in number (judg. 12:14), zipporah (ex. 4:20), the shunammite (1 sam. 25:30), etc. zechariah (9:9) predicted our lord’s triumphal entrance into jerusalem, “riding upon an -ss, and upon a colt,” etc. (matt. 21:5, r.v.). of wild -sses two species are noticed, (1) that called in hebrew _’arod_, mentioned job 39:5 and dan. 5:21, noted for its swiftness; and (2) that called _pe’re_, the wild -ss of asia (job 39:6-8; 6:5; 11:12; isa. 32:14; jer. 2:24; 14:6, etc.). the wild -ss was distinguished for its fleetness and its extreme shyness. in allusion to his mode of life, ishmael is likened to a wild -ss (gen. 16:12. here the word is simply rendered “wild” in the authorized version, but in the revised version, “wild–ss among men”).

in addition to the idiom beginning with
-ss
also see:

break one’s -ss
chew out (one’s -ss off)
cover one’s -ss
drag one’s -ss
kick -ss
kick in the pants (-ss)
kiss -ss
make a fool (an -ss) of
pain in the -ss
stick it (up one’s -ss)
you bet your -ss