Definition of 'muscle'

Word Frequency

muscle

(mʌsəl )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense muscles , present participle muscling , past tense, past participle muscled

1. variable noun

A muscle is a piece of tissue inside your body which connects two bones and which you use when you make a movement.

Keeping your muscles strong and in tone helps you to avoid back problems.

He is suffering from a strained thigh muscle.

There are three types of muscle in the body.

Synonyms: tendon, sinew, muscle tissue, thew More Synonyms of muscle

2. uncountable noun

If you say that someone has muscle, you mean that they have power and influence, which enables them to do difficult things.

Eisenhower used his muscle to persuade Congress to change the law.

The group lacks the financial muscle of its larger rivals.

Synonyms: power, weight, clout [informal], potency More Synonyms of muscle

See to flex your muscles

See to move a muscle

Phrasal verbs:

See muscle in

More Synonyms of muscle

Video: pronunciation of
muscle

muscle in British English

(ˈmʌsəl )

noun

a tissue composed of bundles of elongated cells capable of contraction and relaxation to produce movement in an organ or part

an organ composed of muscle tissue

strength or force

verb

4. (intr; often foll by in, on, etc) informal

to force one's way (in)

Derived forms

muscly (ˈmuscly) or muscley (ˈmuscley)

adjective

Word origin

C16: from medical Latin musculus little mouse, from the imagined resemblance of some muscles to mice, from Latin mūs mouse

Word Frequency

muscle in American English

(ˈmʌsəl )

noun

any of the body organs consisting of bundles of cells or fibers that can be contracted and expanded to produce bodily movements

the tissue making up such an organ

muscular strength; brawn

4. US, Informal

power or influence, esp. when based on force or threats of force

verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈmuscled or ˈmuscling

5. US, Informal

to make one's way or take control by sheer strength or force, or threats of force

usually with in

verb transitive Informal

to move (something) by, or as by, muscular exertion

to influence, pressure, etc. by force or threat of force

Word origin

Fr < L musculus, a muscle, lit., little mouse (from the fancied resemblance between the movements of a mouse and muscle), dim. of mus, mouse

Word Frequency

muscle in American English

(ˈmʌsəl) (verb -cled, -cling)

noun

a tissue composed of cells or fibers, the contraction of which produces movement in the body

an organ, composed of muscle tissue, that contracts to produce a particular movement

muscular strength; brawn

It will take a great deal of muscle to move this box

power or force, esp. of a coercive nature

They put muscle into their policy and sent the marines

lean meat

6. slang

a hired thug or thugs

a bodyguard or bodyguards

a gangster protected by muscle

a necessary or fundamental thing, quality, etc

The editor cut the muscle from the article

transitive verb

8. informal

to force or compel others to make way for

He muscled his way into the conversation

to make more muscular

The dancing lessons muscled her legs

10.

to strengthen or toughen; put muscle into

11. informal

to accomplish by muscular force

to muscle the partition into place

12. informal

to force or compel, as by threats, promises, influence, or the like

to muscle a bill through Congress

intransitive verb

13. informal (often fol. by in or into)

to make one's way by force or fraud

adjective

14. informal (of a machine, engine, or vehicle)

being very powerful or capable of high-speed performance

a muscle power saw

Derived forms

muscleless

adjective

muscly

adjective

Word origin

[1525–35; ‹ L mūsculus lit., little mouse (from fancied resemblance to some muscles), equiv. to mūs mouse + -culus -cle1]

Examples of 'muscle' in a sentence
muscle

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

Work out at home with simple weights or bands to build and tone your muscle. Newly discovered back muscles were beginning to ache.All of a sudden a woman muscled her way to the front of the queue.Some personnel dismissed the body mass index measurements because soldiers with a heavier muscle mass might also be classed as overweight.The Arsenal striker is battling a muscle injury.When they go wrong it can lead to potentially fatal conditions affecting organs, muscles and growth.It is true Chinese clubs have the financial muscle to buy any player on the planet.It allows for gentle, steady walking and fresh air with a lot of movement of all the muscle groups.His facial muscles rarely move.BUILDING up muscles boosts brain power for over-55s, a study found.