(British)

1. The anus. Asshole in American English.

2. The arsehole of the universe / earth / world an extremely unpleasant place, especially one that is dirty, smelly and hot, but now by extension anywhere awful. The phrase was probably coined by troops stationed overseas, prompted by such captions as 'the pearl of the Orient' or 'the gateway to the Pacific'.

3. An extremely unpleasant person, especially one who combines offensiveness with stupidity. The term, when used in Britain or Australia, is stronger than the

American equivalent asshole, and slightly different in emphasis. It shows real dis- taste and dislike rather than mild contempt.