Onager

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Onager \On"a*ger\, n.; pl. L. {Onagri}, E. {Onagers}. [L.
     onager, onagrus, Gr. ?.]
     1. (Rom. Antiq.) A military engine acting like a sling, which
        threw stones from a bag or wooden bucket, and was operated
        by machinery. --Fairholt.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. (Zool.) A wild ass of central Asia, especially the
        {koulan} ({Equus hemionus} syn. {Equus hemippus} syn.
        {Equus onager}, formely {Asinus onager}).
        [1913 Webster +PJC]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Koulan \Kou"lan\, n. [Native name.] (Zool.)
     A wild horse ({Equus onager} or {Asinus onager}) inhabiting
     the plains of Central Asia; -- called also {gour}, {khur},
     and {onager}. [Written also {kulan}.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: It is sometimes confounded with the dziggetai, to which
           it is closely related. It is gray in winter, but
           fulvous in summer. It has a well defined, dark, dorsal
           stripe, and a short, erect mane. In size, it is
           intermediate between the horse and ass.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  onager
       n 1: medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine
            for hurling large stones and other missiles [syn: {catapult},
             {arbalest}, {arbalist}, {ballista}, {bricole}, {mangonel},
             {trebuchet}, {trebucket}]
       2: Asiatic wild ass [syn: {Equus hemionus}]
       [also: {onagri} (pl)]