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# donkey

noun (a donkey, donkeys)

«donkey» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. An animal like a small horse with long ears and a loud bray, used to carry loads or give rides. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/#m1)
2. (informal, mildly rude) A silly or stupid person: Don't be a donkey! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/#m2)
3. «donkey's years» (UK, informal) = a very long time. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/#m3)

### In the lessons

In science donkeys are mammals related to horses; in stories they carry loads and are stubborn; on British beaches children ride donkeys; in maths problems donkeys have 4 legs and carry loads. Phrases: «donkey ride», «donkey work» (dull hard work), «donkey's years», «stubborn as a donkey».

### Examples

- We had a donkey ride on the beach. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/#x1)
- The donkey carried bags of rice up the hill. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/#x2)
- A donkey says «hee-haw». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/#x3)
- I haven't seen her in donkey's years. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/#x4)
- Who does all the donkey work around here? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/#x5)
- Three donkeys have 12 legs altogether. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/#x6)
- You silly donkey, you've put your shoes on the wrong feet! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/#x7)
- ‘Here on the shoulders of a donkey.’ [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/#x8)

### Note

Plural «donkeys» (not donkies: a vowel before y, so just add -s). A male is a jack, a female a jenny; a young one a foal. A mule is half donkey, half horse. Myth: donkeys are not stupid; they are careful and clever.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «donkey» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/donkey/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«donkey» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/donkey.html) on Mova free.