subs. (common).—Generic for stupidity, clumsiness, and ignorance. Hence (1) a fool: see BUFFLE. [O.E.D.: now disused in polite literature and speech.] Also ASSHEAD: whence ASSHEADED = stupid; and ASSHEADEDNESS = folly. TO MAKE AN ASS OF = to stultify; TO MAKE AN ASS OF ONESELF = to play the fool; YOUR ASS-SHIP (a mock title: cf. lordship). Also PROVERBS AND PROVERBIAL SAYINGS: ‘When a fool is made a bishop then a horned ASS is born therein’ (1400); ‘Perhaps thy ASS can tell thee what thou knowest not’ (NASH); ‘To wrangle for an ASS’S shadow’ (THYNNE); ‘Go sell an ASS’ (TOPSELL: ‘a charge of blockishness to a dull scholar’). ‘Angry as an ASS with a squib in his breech’ (COTGRAVE); ‘Honey is not for an ASS’S mouth’ (SHELTON); ‘An ASS laden with gold will go lightly uphill’ (SHELTON); ‘ASSES have ears as well as pitchers’ (MIDDLETON); ‘He will act the ASS’S part to get some bran’ (URQUHART); ‘An ASS in a lion’s skin’ (ADDISON); ‘An unlettered king is a crowned ASS’ (FREEMAN); to plough with ox and ASS = to use incongruous means; ‘The ASS waggeth his ears’ (COOPER, 1563: ‘a proverbe applied to theim, whiche, although they lacke learnynge, yet will they babble and make a countenaunce, as if they knewe somewhat’).
1532. MORE, Confutation of Barnes, viii. Thys felowes folishe apishenesse and al hys ASSEHEDED exclamacions.
1550. T. BECON, The Fortress of the Faithful [Parker Society]. [A fool is called] ASS-HEAD.
1550. BALE, The Apology of Iohan Bale agaynste a Ranke Papyst, 61. O absolute ASSE HEADE, ydolatrouse monstre, & witlesse ydyote.
1578. LYTE, trans. Dodoens’s A Niewe Herball, or Historie of Plantes, 348. Landleapers, Roges, and ignorant ASSES.
1589. Hay any Work, 36. As verye an ASSEHEAD as John Catercap.
1590. SHAKESPEARE, Midsummer Night’s Dream, iii. 1. 124. This is to make an ASS of me, to fright me if they could. Ibid. (1598), Merry Wives of Windsor, i. 1. 176. I am not altogether an ASS. Ibid. (1601), Twelfth Night, v. i. 212. An ASSEHEAD and a coxcombe.
1609. DOULAND, Andreas Ornithoparcus his Micrologus, 65. ASSE-HEADED ignorance.
1610. HEALEY, City of God, 694. Yet had he his humane reason still, as Apuleus had in his ASSE-SHIP.
1611. CHAPMAN, May-Day, iv. 4. I shall imagine still I am DRIVING AN OX AND AN ASSE before me.
1617. MINSHEU, Dictionary, s.v. ASSEHEADDINESSE or blockishnesse.
1621. BURTON, The Anatomy of Melancholy, II. III. ii. A nobleman … a proud fool, an arrant ASS.
1633. FORD, Love’s Sacrifice, ii. 2. If this be not a fit of some violent affection, I am an ASS in understanding.
1717. POPE, Letter to Hon. R. Digby. They think our Doctors ASSES to them.
1724. RAMSAY, The Tea-table Miscellany, 14.
| How the Warld is rul’d by ASSES, | |
| And the Wise are sway’d by chink. |
1729. COOKE, Tales, 87. Ended thus his ASS-SHIP’S Reign.
1828. SCOTT, The Fair Maid of Perth, I. 39. I am but an ASS in the trick of bringing about such discourse.
1843. LEVER, Jack Hinton, iv. Lord Dudley de Vere, the most confounded puppy, and the emptiest ASS.
1865. DICKENS, Our Mutual Friend (C. D. ed.), 6. As to Twemlow … he considers the large man an offensive ASS.
1865. A. TROLLOPE, The Belton Estate, xx. Don’t make such an ASS of yourself.
1866. Fraser’s Magazine, 284. 1. They could not be deprived of the common right of Englishmen to MAKE ASSES OF THEMSELVES if they liked it.
