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Muscle

//ˈmʌs.əl// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A contractile form of tissue which animals use to effect movement. uncountable

    "Muscle consists largely of actin and myosin filaments."

  2. 2
    possessing muscular strength wordnet
  3. 3
    An organ composed of muscle tissue. countable

    "His brow and hair and the palms of his hands were wet, and there was a kind of nervous contraction of his muscles. They seemed to ripple and string tense."

  4. 4
    authority or power or force (especially when used in a coercive way) wordnet
  5. 5
    A well-developed physique, in which the muscles are enlarged from exercise. countable, plural-normally, uncountable

    "2008, Lou Schuler, "Foreward", in Nate Green, Built for Show, page xii The fact that I was middle-aged, bald, married, and raising girls instead of chasing them didn't really bother me. Muscles are cool at any age."

Show 5 more definitions
  1. 6
    animal tissue consisting predominantly of contractile cells wordnet
  2. 7
    Strength, force. figuratively, uncountable

    "The widely-backed campaign to recall Evan Mecham as governor of Arizona gained even more muscle when the state House of Representatives voted to impeach the ultraconservative on February 5."

  3. 8
    one of the contractile organs of the body wordnet
  4. 9
    Hired strongmen or bodyguards. figuratively, uncountable

    "It was easy enough to dodge him, let him crash into the floorboards. Peltroc knew that his priority was the leader, not the hired muscle."

  5. 10
    a bully employed as a thug or bodyguard wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    To use force to make progress, especially physical force. transitive

    "He muscled his way through the crowd."

  2. 2
    make one's way by force wordnet
  3. 3
    To move forcefully or with great strength. intransitive

    "She muscled through the ruins."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English muscle, muscule, muskylle, and in part from Middle French muscle, from Latin mūsculus (“a muscle”, literally “little mouse”) because of the mouselike appearance of some muscles, from mūs (“mouse”). Doublet of mussel. More at mouse.

Etymology 2

From Middle English muscle, muscule, muskylle, and in part from Middle French muscle, from Latin mūsculus (“a muscle”, literally “little mouse”) because of the mouselike appearance of some muscles, from mūs (“mouse”). Doublet of mussel. More at mouse.

See also for "muscle"

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