mule

as inincompliant
as inunbendable
as inuncompliant
as inheadstrong
as inmongrel
as inspinning frame
as inburro
as inslipper
as indonkey
as inhalf-breed
as inhybrid

Word Origin & History

"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," probably from a pre-Latin Mediterranean language.

Properly, the offspring of a he-ass and a mare; that of a she-ass and a stallion is technically a hinny. Used allusively of hybrids and things of mixed nature. As a type of spinning machine, attested from 1797 (so called because a hybrid of distinct warp and woof machines). Meaning "obstinate, stupid, or stubborn person" is from 1470s; that of "narcotics smuggler or courier" first attested 1935.

Example Sentences for mule

They went to the camp we had left, but neither he nor the mule was there.

The popular type and exponent of obstinacy is the mule, a most intelligent animal.

Duncan had been wont to say of him that Kellogg could talk the hind-leg off of a mule.

That he had observed, from his station in the rear, that she sat her mule as if she were exhausted.

Then Robin checked his mule quickly and leaped from off its back.

Never since the world stud—to do you justice, you are as obstinate as a mule.

When they had finished he fed the rest of the meat to his mule.

"When you put those turkey-red trousers on your mule," I said.

Then I began to laugh again, at the thought of a mule in trousers.

You don't suppose that mule understands what you say to him, do you?

mule

Synonyms for mule

More words related to mule

burro

donkey

half-breed

headstrong

hybrid

incompliant