Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Mule
Mule
(mūl)
, Noun.
[F., a she-mule, L.
mula
, fem. of mulus
; cf. Gr. μύκλος
, μυχλός
. Cf. AS. mūl
, fr. L. mulus
. Cf. Mulatto
.] 1.
(Zool.)
A hybrid animal; specifically, one generated between an ass and a mare. Sometimes the term is applied to the offspring of a horse and a she-ass, but that hybrid is more properly termed a
hinny
. See Hinny
. ☞ Mules are much used as draught animals. They are hardy, and proverbial for stubbornness.
2.
(Bot.)
A plant or vegetable produced by impregnating the pistil of one species with the pollen or fecundating dust of another; – called also
hybrid
. 3.
A very stubborn person.
4.
A machine, used in factories, for spinning cotton, wool, etc., into yarn or thread and winding it into cops; – called also
jenny
and mule-jenny
. Mule armadillo
(Zool.)
, a long-eared armadillo
– (Tatusia hybrida)
, native of Buenos Ayres; – called also mulita
. See Illust. under Armadillo
. Mule deer
(Zool.)
, a large deer (
– Cervus macrotis
syn. Cariacus macrotis
) of the Western United States. The name refers to its long ears. Mule pulley
(Mach.)
, an idle pulley for guiding a belt which transmits motion between shafts that are not parallel.
– Mule twist
, cotton yarn in cops, as spun on a mule; – in distinction from yarn spun on a throstle frame.
Webster 1828 Edition
Mule
MULE
,Noun.
1.
A quadruped of a mongrel breed,usually generated between an ass and a mare, sometimes between a horse and a she-ass. But the name is applied to any animal produced by a mixture of different species.2.
A plant or vegetable produced by impregnating the pistil of one species of plant with the farin or fecundating dust of another. This is called also a hybrid.