Ape Definition

[n] any of various primates with short tails or no tail at all
[n] person who resembles a non-human primate
[n] someone who copies the words or behavior of another
[v] represent in or produce a caricature of; "The drawing caricatured the President"
[v] imitate uncritically and in every aspect; "Her little brother apes her behavior"

Synonyms

anthropoid, aper, caricature, copycat, emulator, imitator

See Also...

anthropoid ape, epigon, epigone, human, imitate, individual, misfit, mock, mortal, parrot, person, primate, somebody, someone, soul

Related Terms

act, act a part, act as, act out, angwantibo, anthropoid ape, ape about, appear like, approach, approximate, aye-aye, baboon, bar, Barbary ape, be like, be redolent of, bear, bear resemblance, bring to mind, bugs on, burlesque, call to mind, call up, Cape

Misc. Definitions

\Ape\ ([=a]p), n. [AS. apa; akin to D. aap, OHG. affo, G. affe, Icel. api, Sw. apa, Dan. abe, W. epa.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) A quadrumanous mammal, esp. of the family {Simiad[ae]}, having teeth of the same number and form as in man, and possessing neither a tail nor cheek pouches. The name is applied esp. to species of the genus {Hylobates}, and is sometimes used as a general term for all Quadrumana. The higher forms, the gorilla, chimpanzee, and ourang, are often called {anthropoid apes} or {man apes}. Note: The ape of the Old Testament was probably the rhesus monkey of India, and allied forms.
2. One who imitates servilely (in allusion to the manners of the ape); a mimic. --Byron.
3. A dupe. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
\Ape\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Aped}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Aping}.] To mimic, as an ape imitates human actions; to imitate or follow servilely or irrationally. ``How he apes his sire.'' --Addison. The people of England will not ape the fashions they have never tried. --Burke.