1
- a living organism which feeds on organic matter, typically having specialized sense organs and nervous system and able to respond rapidly to stimuli动物：
animals such as spiders
动物, 如蜘蛛
wild animals adapt badly to a caged life
野生动物难以适应笼子里的生活
humans are the only animals who weep.
人类是惟一会哭泣的动物。
1.1
- any such living organism other than a human being（区别于人的）兽：
are humans superior to animals, or just different?
人比动物高级, 还是仅仅不同而已？
1.2
- a mammal, as opposed to a bird, reptile, fish, or insect哺乳动物, 牲畜：
the snowfall seemed to have chased all birds, animals, and men indoors.
雪似乎把所有的鸟、动物和人都赶进了室内。
1.3
- a person whose behaviour is regarded as devoid of human attributes or civilizing influences, especially someone who is very cruel, violent, or repulsive人面禽兽, 禽兽般的人：
those men have to be animals - what they did to that boy was savage.
那些人一定是禽兽——他们对待那男孩野蛮得很。
1.4
- with adj. or noun modifier a particular type of person or thing某一类型的人（或事物）：
a regular party animal
一个经常出席社交聚会的人
I am a political animal.
我是一个爱搞政治的人。
Animals are generally distinguished from plants by being unable to synthesize organic molecules from inorganic ones, so that they have to feed on plants or on other animals. They are typically able to move about, though this ability is sometimes restricted to a particular stage in the life cycle. The great majority of animals are invertebrates, of which there are some thirty phyla; the vertebrates constitute but a single subphylum. See also HIGHER ANIMALS, LOWER ANIMALS.
1
- attrib. of, relating to, or characteristic of animals（与）动物（有关）的; 有动物特征的：
the evolution of animal life
动物生命的进化
animal welfare.
动物权益保护。
1.1
- of animals as distinct from plants区别于植物动物的：
tissues of animal and vegetable protein.
动物组织和植物蛋白。
1.2
- characteristic of the physical and instinctive needs of animals; of the flesh rather than the spirit or intellect肉欲的; 肉体的：
a crude surrender to animal lust.
赤裸裸地屈服于肉欲。
2
- Biology relating to or denoting the pole or extremity of an embryo that contains the more active cytoplasm in the early stages of development【生】（胚胎）动物极的。VEGETAL的反义词。
词源
Middle English: the noun from Latin animal, based on Latin animalis 'having breath' from anima 'breath'; the adjective via Old French from Latin animalis.