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
1
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 notesIn plain EnglishA farming procedure performed on sheep, named after the man who invented it — unrelated to the animal "mule."
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- muleses
- Past tense
- mulesed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The farm no longer _____ its lambs after switching breeds.
Etymology
Named after John Mules, the farmer who invented the procedure.
Rhymes for mules
See all rhymes for mules →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.
