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donkey
donkey the donkey was used as a beast of burden, and traditionally taken as a type of stupidity. In the story of Balaam, the diviner's falsity is emphasized by the fact that he is unable to see the divine messenger that is visible even to his donkey. (See also in this context ass in a lion's skin, Buridan's ass.)
A donkey, representing the deliberate eschewing of a horse that might have symbolized martial and worldly power, was the animal on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The word was originally pronounced to rhyme with monkey, and may come from dun ‘dull greyish-brown’, or from the given name Duncan. donkeys' years an informal expression for a very long time, recorded from the early 20th century, and with punning allusion to the length of a donkey's ears. See also lions led by donkeys. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "donkey." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "donkey." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-donkey.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "donkey." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-donkey.html |
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donkey
don·key / ˈdôngkē; ˈdäng-/ • n. (pl. -eys) 1. a domesticated hoofed mammal (Equus asinus) of the horse family with long ears and a braying call, used as a beast of burden; an ass. 2. inf. a stupid or foolish person. PHRASES: donkey's years inf. a very long time. |
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"donkey." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "donkey." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-donkey.html "donkey." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-donkey.html |
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donkey
donkey XVIII. In early use pronounced so as to rhyme with monkey, whence the proposed derivs. from DUN 1 and from the proper name Duncan (cf. dicky, neddy).
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T. F. HOAD. "donkey." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "donkey." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-donkey.html T. F. HOAD. "donkey." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-donkey.html |
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donkey
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"donkey." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "donkey." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-donkey.html "donkey." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-donkey.html |
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donkey
donkey see ass . |
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"donkey." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "donkey." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-donkey.html "donkey." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-donkey.html |
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donkey
donkey
•brickie, Dickie, hickey, icky, mickey, Nicky, picky, quickie, rickey, Rikki, sickie, sticky, tricky, Vicky
•milky, silky, Wilkie
•Chinky, dinky, Helsinki, inky, Kinki, kinky, minke, pinkie, pinky, slinky, stinky, stotinki
•frisky, risky, whisky
•Dzerzhinsky, Kandinsky, kolinsky, Nijinsky, Stravinsky
•doohickey • smart-alecky • garlicky
•colicky • gimmicky • panicky • finicky
•plasticky
•crikey, Nike, psyche, spiky
•choccy, cocky, flocky, gnocchi, hockey, jockey, oche, pocky, rocky, schlocky, stocky
•conchae, donkey, honky, shonky, wonky
•Brodsky
•Malinowski, Minkowski, Stokowski, Tchaikovsky
•Chomsky • Trotsky • droshky
•jabberwocky
•balky, chalky, corky, gawky, Gorky, Milwaukee, pawky, porky, talkie, walkie-talkie
•Sikorsky • Mussorgsky
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"donkey." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "donkey." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-donkey.html "donkey." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-donkey.html |
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