Etymology From Middle English ars, ers, from Old English ærs, ears, from Proto-West Germanic *ars, from Proto-Germanic *arsaz (compare Dutch aars and German Arsch), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁órsos (“backside, buttocks”).
1
Commonwealth, Vulgar A person's buttocks; the bottom, the backside. Also: the anus; the rectum.
As the novel progresses, he is shot in the hand with his own gun, shot in the arse with someone else's and lacerated by a prosthetic weed trimmer.2011 March 12, James Smart, The Guardian:
No one, then or now, wanted to drink the mead that came out of Odin's arse.2017, Neil Gaiman, Norse Mythology, Bloomsbury Publishing, page 131:
1 more example
Or to put it in the more colourful language of our Prime Minister: "The secret to improving rail transport, in my view, is you need to find the right arse to kick." Unfortunately, since the abolition of the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) in 2005, the DfT has ostensibly been in direct control of railway policy setting, and this has meant that the only arse the government has been able to kick is its own.2020 September 9, Jason Chamberlain, “The growing likelihood of a 'different type of railway'”, in Rail, page 45:
“You're an arse,” Ellen said. ¶ “Please? You must like something about me …?” ¶ “I do. You're an arse. I just told you that. I feel comfy with you, because you're such an arse.”2007, Martin Harrison, The Judgement of Paris, page 282:
He looked at me, was just about to call me an arse, when I told him, “You throw it too hard. Try and think of the javelin hitting the target before you throw it. Let it all go through your mind first, see it, feel it, then throw it.” ¶ “Good advice, you arse,” he said and tried again.2007, L. A. Wilson, The Silurian: Book One: The Fox and the Bear, page 103:
1 more example
Felnigg. What a suppurating arse. Look at him. Arse.2011, Joe Abercrombie, The Heroes, unnumbered page:
3
Slang, Vulgar Used in similes to express something bad or unpleasant.
4
Metonymically, Slang, Vulgar A person; the self; (reflexively) oneself or one's person, chiefly their body; (by extension) one's personal safety, or figuratively one's job, prospects, etc.
Etymology From Middle English ars, ers, from Old English ærs, ears, from Proto-West Germanic *ars, from Proto-Germanic *arsaz (compare Dutch aars and German Arsch), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁órsos (“backside, buttocks”).
He was university material, just arsing about as a rigger, arsing about, killing time with bohunks like me[…].1985, Sam McAughtry, McAughtry's War, page 10:
2 more examples
Pi, upset, roars, "Quit arsing around there and get cracking," and a dozen heads turn their way.2005, Keri Hulme, The Bone People, page 291:
He was half-expecting a call from the lingua, telling him to stop arsing around, but his com stayed silent, so it looked like a certain amount of arsing around was allowed.2011, Jaine Fenn, Bringer of Light, unnumbered page:
Etymology From Middle English ars, ers, from Old English ærs, ears, from Proto-West Germanic *ars, from Proto-Germanic *arsaz (compare Dutch aars and German Arsch), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁órsos (“backside, buttocks”).