mare
- Noun:
- A dark region of considerable extent on the surface of the moon: A large, dark, flat area on the Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. The plural is maria.
- A female equine animal: An adult female horse, donkey, or related animal.
Noun (Lunar Feature):
- The Sea of Tranquility is a famous mare where Apollo 11 landed.
- Telescopes reveal the detailed borders between the lunar highlands and the dark maria.
Noun (Female Horse):
- The farmer's prize mare gave birth to a healthy foal this spring.
- In the wild herd, the lead mare often guides the group to water.
"Mare's nest": A situation of confusion, disorder, or complex difficulties. This idiom originally meant a false discovery, something thought to be remarkable but turning out to be a hoax or a mess.
- The investigation turned into a complete mare's nest of contradictory evidence.
"Mare's tail": Used to describe a specific type of cirrus cloud (cirrus uncinus) that is wispy and resembles a horse's tail.
- Those mare's tail clouds high in the sky often indicate a change in the weather.
Maria (n): The plural form of mare when referring to lunar features.
- The lunar maria cover about 16% of the Moon's surface.
Stallion (n): An adult male horse.
- Filly (n): A young female horse.
- Gelding (n): A castrated male horse.
- Female horse: Broodmare (specifically for breeding), dam (in breeding contexts, the mother of a foal).
- Lunar plain: None are perfect synonyms, but related terms include (direct translation of "mare") and .
Broodmare: A mare kept primarily for breeding purposes.
- The thoroughbred broodmare has produced several champion racehorses.
Mare liberum: A Latin term meaning "free sea," a concept in international law regarding freedom of the seas. (Note: This is a Latin phrase using the word mare for "sea," not directly related to the English definitions above but a notable usage of the root word).
- "Shanks's mare" (or "Shanks's pony"): Refers to one's own legs as a means of transport; to travel by walking.
- The car broke down, so we had to use Shanks's mare for the last two miles.
- a dark region of considerable extent on the surface of the moon
- female equine animal