mule

/mju:l/

Thân thiện

A woman wears a pair of comfortable mules around the house.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A hybrid animal: The sterile offspring of a male donkey (jack) and a female horse (mare).
   • A type of footwear: A backless shoe or slipper that does not enclose the heel.
   • A stubborn person: (Informal) A person who is very obstinate.
   • A machine: A kind of spinning machine historically used in textile manufacturing.

Usage and Examples

• Referring to the animal:
  • The farmer used a mule to carry heavy loads because of its strength and endurance.
  • Mules are known for being sure-footed and intelligent.
• Referring to footwear:
  • She wore a pair of comfortable leather mules around the house.
  • The elegant satin mules matched her dressing gown perfectly.
• Referring to a person's character:
  • He can be as stubborn as a mule when he's made up his mind.
• Referring to machinery:
  • The invention of the spinning mule was a key development in the Industrial Revolution.

Advanced Usage

• "To be as stubborn as a mule": An idiom meaning to be extremely obstinate or unwilling to change one's mind.
  • You can't convince him; he's as stubborn as a mule.
• "Mule train": A line of mules carrying goods, often used historically.
  • Supplies were brought over the mountain pass by mule train.

Variants and Related Words

• Muleteer (n): A person who drives mules.
  • The muleteer guided the animals along the narrow trail.
• Mulish (adj): Stubborn, obstinate (derived from the perceived character of a mule).
  • His mulish refusal to cooperate caused delays.

Synonyms

• For the animal: Hybrid, crossbreed, hinny (offspring of a male horse and a female donkey).
• For footwear: Slipper, slide, scuff, backless shoe.
• For a stubborn person: Obstinate person, intransigent.

Related Phrases and Compounds

• Pack mule: A mule used for carrying loads.
  • The pack mule carried all our camping gear.
• Mule deer: A type of deer with large ears, native to western North America.
  • We saw a mule deer grazing near the forest edge.

Idioms

• "As stubborn as a mule": Extremely obstinate.
  • My grandfather is as stubborn as a mule; he never listens to anyone's advice.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a slipper that has no fitting around the heel
2. hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse; usually sterile

Từ đồng nghĩa

• scuff