arse
arse Lexical Profile
arse Game Scores & Validity
• noun
British A person's buttocks or anus (considered vulgar slang).
"He slipped on the icy pavement and landed flat on his arse."
British A stupid, irritating, or contemptible person.
"Stop acting like such a pompous arse and listen to what she has to say."
• verb
British To bother or make the effort to do something (used almost exclusively in the passive negative phrase "cannot be arsed").
"I really cannot be arsed to cook a full dinner tonight."
British To waste time or behave in a foolish, unproductive manner (usually followed by "about" or "around").
"Stop arsing about and help us pack these boxes before the van arrives."
• interjection
British An exclamation used to express annoyance, frustration, disgust, or contempt.
"Arse! I forgot my house keys inside again."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Arse" is the standard spelling and pronunciation in British, Irish, and Australian slang, whereas North American English uses "ass" (which originally evolved from a dialectal non-rhotic pronunciation of "arse" before merging with the word for a donkey).
• Rhymes for arse
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Old English "ears" (meaning buttocks or tail), from Proto-Germanic *arsaz, ultimately tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "buttocks" or "backside."