noun
horse
haws
noun
1
A large hoofed mammal with a mane and tail, long domesticated for riding, pulling loads, and farm work.
"She rode her horse along the beach at sunrise."
"Farmers once relied on horses to pull the plough."
2
A padded piece of gymnastics equipment, or a simple frame with legs, used for support or exercise.
"He performed a difficult routine on the pommel horse."
verb
1
To fool around or engage in rough, playful behavior (usually as "horse around").
"Stop horsing around and finish your homework."
How to Use Horse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe animal people ride and once used for pulling carts and ploughs; also used loosely for horse-shaped equipment or in the phrase "horse around" (to mess about).
Common mistake
As slang, "horse" can also mean heroin — context makes the meaning clear, but it's worth knowing the drug slang exists.
Common pairings
ride a horse
horse around
a horse and cart
wild horses
Word Forms
horsed past tense, horses plural, horses singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “horse”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She rode her _____ along the beach at sunrise.
Etymology
From Old English hors, going back through Germanic roots to a very old Indo-European word meaning "to run" — making "horse" a distant relative of "car" and "chariot."