/meə(r); mɛr/
n
1 female horse or donkey 母马; 母驴. Cf 参看 filly, foal, stallion.
2 (idm 习语) a `mare's nest discovery that seems interesting but turns out to be false or worthless （以为有意思的却原来是虚假的或无价值的）发现. on Shank's pony/mare => shank.

/'mɑ:rɪ; `mɑre/
n (pl maria / 5mB:rIE; `mBrIE/) (astronomy 天) large flat dark area on the moon or Mars, once thought to be a sea 月球或火星表面的大片平坦的黑暗区（一度被认为是海）.

n[C]
[Language: Old English;Origin: mere]
a female horse or donkey
→stallion, filly filly
mare's nest
a) a discovery that seems important but is actually of no value
b) a confused situation or a very untidy place