ape
- any of a group of anthropoid primates characterized by long arms, a broad chest, and the absence of a tail, comprising the family Pongidae (great ape), which includes the chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan, and the family Hylobatidae (lesser ape), which includes the gibbon and siamang.
- (loosely) any primate except humans.
- an imitator; mimic.
- Informal. a big, ugly, clumsy person.
- to imitate; mimic: to ape another's style of writing.
- go ape, Slang. to become violently emotional: When she threatened to leave him, he went ape.
- go ape over, Slang. to be extremely enthusiastic about: They go ape over old rock music.
Origin of ape
Related Words
imitateemulatedocaricaturedittoparrotcounterfeitechoimpersonatetravestymirroraffectcopymockparodyExamples from the Web for ape
Contemporary Examples
But a series of misunderstandings triggers an all-out war between man and ape, threatening the future of mankind.
Yup, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld compared President Obama to an ape.
Fringe Factor: Convicted Killer, Registered Sex Offender Runs for California GovernorCaitlin Dickson
March 30, 2014
If only Charlton Heston had been there to shriek something about overthrowing our ape overlords.
In his more-than-a-dozen books, he has thoughtfully mined the goings-on of the ape world for insights about the human one.
He self-consciously tries to ape the mannerisms of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.
The Foodie Detective: The Pepe Carvalho Novels by Manuel Vázquez MontalbánMalcolm Forbes
October 3, 2012
Historical Examples
Why, what makes you stand twisting there like an eel or an ape, child?
Tales And Novels, Volume 8 (of 10)Maria Edgeworth
It is our duty to resemble him as much as we can; that is to say, as much as an ape can resemble a man.
Initiation into PhilosophyEmile Faguet
Charley confided to me afterwards that he did not take to him—he was too like an ape, he said.
Wilfrid CumbermedeGeorge MacDonald
Then the ape said: “I will not leave until you have obtained one for me.”
The Chinese Fairy BookVarious
Ah,” said the ape, “is it so high that it outranks all other dignities?
The Chinese Fairy BookVarious
ape
- any of various primates, esp those of the family Pongidae, in which the tail is very short or absentSee anthropoid ape See also great ape
- (not in technical use) any monkey
- an imitator; mimic
- US informal a coarse, clumsy, or rude person
- (tr) to imitate
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for ape
n.
Old English apa "ape, monkey," from Proto-Germanic *apan (cf. Old Saxon apo, Old Norse api, Dutch aap, German affe), perhaps borrowed in Proto-Germanic from Celtic (cf. Old Irish apa) or Slavic (cf. Old Bohemian op, Slovak opitza), perhaps ultimately from a non-Indo-European language.
Apes were noted in medieval times for mimicry of human action, hence, perhaps, the other figurative use of the word, to mean "a fool." To go ape (in emphatic form, go apeshit) "go crazy" is 1955, U.S. slang. To lead apes in hell (1570s) was the fancied fate of one who died an old maid.
v.
"to imitate," 1630s, but the notion is implied earlier, e.g. to play the ape (1570s), Middle English apeshipe "ape-like behavior, simulation" (mid-15c.); and the noun sense of "one who mimics" may date from early 13c. Related: Aped; aping.