verb Uncommon

mules

myoolz

Mules (verb) means to surgically remove skin around a sheep's tail to prevent flystrike (a livestock practice). Example: “The farm no longer mules its lambs after switching breeds.”

verb

To surgically remove skin around a sheep's tail to prevent flystrike (a livestock practice).

"The farm no longer mules its lambs after switching breeds."

"Animal welfare groups have criticized mulesing sheep."

How to use mules

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA farming procedure performed on sheep, named after the man who invented it — unrelated to the animal "mule."

Word forms

mulesed past tense, muleses singular

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The farm no longer _____ its lambs after switching breeds.

Etymology

Named after John Mules, the farmer who invented the procedure.

Rhymes for mules

Jules Rules Hercules

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Frequently asked questions

What does “mules” mean?

The word “mules” means to surgically remove skin around a sheep's tail to prevent flystrike (a livestock practice). In plain terms, a farming procedure performed on sheep, named after the man who invented it — unrelated to the animal "mule.".

How do you pronounce “mules”?

“Mules” is pronounced myoolz (/mjuːlz/ in IPA).

How do you use “mules” in a sentence?

Here is “mules” used in a sentence: “The farm no longer mules its lambs after switching breeds.”

What part of speech is “mules”?

“Mules” is a verb.

Is “mules” a common word?

“Mules” is an uncommon word in modern English.