Muscle
Pronunciation
- enPR: mÅsʹəl, IPA: /ˈmÊŒs.É™l/
- Rhymes: -ʌsəl
- Homophones: mussel
Alternative forms
Origin
From French muscle, from Latin mūsculus ("a muscle", literally little mouse) because of the mouselike appearance of some muscles, from mūs ("mouse"). Cognate with Old English mūs ("mouse", also "muscle"). More at mouse.
Full definition of muscle
Noun
muscle
(plural muscles)- (uncountable) A contractile form of tissue which animals use to effect movement.Muscle consists largely of actin and myosin filaments.
- (countable) An organ composed of muscle tissue.
- Grey Riders|8His 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.
- Orwell Animal Farm|1You, Boxer, the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power, Jones will sell you to the knacker ...
- (uncountable, usually plural) A well-developed physique, in which the muscles are enlarged from exercise.
- 2008, Lou Schuler, "Foreward", in Nate Green, Built for Show, page xiiThe 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.
- (uncountable, figurative) Strength, force.
- 2010, Adam Quinn, US Foreign Policy in Context, page 81The lesson to be drawn from the events of 1914, to Roosevelt's mind, was that civilization needed muscle to defend it, not just solemn words.
- 2013, John D. MacDonald, The Long Lavender Look, page 15It was going to take muscle to pluck Miss Agnes out of the canal.
- (uncountable, figurative) Hired strongmen or bodyguards.
- 1985 — Lance Parkin, The Infinity Doctors, p 34It was easy enough to dodge him, let him crash into the floorboards. Peltroc knew that his priority was the leader, not the hired muscle.
Derived terms
Verb
- To use force to make progress, especially physical force.He muscled his way through the crowd.
- 1988, Steve Holman, "Christian Conquers Columbus", Iron Man (magazine) 47 (6): 28-34.Hensel and Wilson hit a series of leg shots simultaneously as Christian muscles between them with Quinn right on his heels.