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arse (n.)

"buttocks, hinder part of an animal," Old English ærs "tail, rump," from Proto-Germanic *arsoz (source also of Old Saxon, Old High German, Old Norse ars, Middle Dutch ærs, German Arsch "buttock"), from PIE root *ors- "buttock, backside" (source also of Greek orros "tail, rump, base of the spine," Hittite arrash, Armenian or "buttock," Old Irish err "tail").

To hang the arse "be reluctant or tardy" is from 1630s. Middle English had arse-winning "money obtained by prostitution" (late 14c.). To turn arse over tip is attested by 1884, along with the alternative arse over tit.

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Definitions of arse from WordNet

arse (n.)
the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on;
Synonyms: buttocks / nates / butt / backside / bum / buns / can / fundament / hindquarters / hind end / keister / posterior / prat / rear / rear end / rump / stern / seat / tail / tail end / tooshie / tush / bottom / behind / derriere / fanny / ass
arse (n.)
vulgar slang for anus;
Synonyms: arsehole / asshole / bunghole
From wordnet.princeton.edu