Definition of 'muscle'

Word Frequency

muscle

(mʌsəl )

Word forms: muscles, muscling, muscled

1. variable noun

A muscle is a piece of tissue inside your body that 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.

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.

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 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]

Word Frequency

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

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.

Trends of
muscle

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In other languages
muscle

British English: muscle /ˈmʌsl/ NOUN

Your muscles are the parts inside your body that connect your bones, and that help you to move.

Exercise helps to keep your muscles strong.

American English: muscle /ˈmʌsəl/
Arabic: عَضَلَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: músculo
Chinese: 肌肉
Croatian: mišić
Czech: sval
Danish: muskel
Dutch: spier
European Spanish: músculo
Finnish: lihas
French: muscle
German: Muskel
Greek: μυς
Italian: muscolo
Japanese: 筋肉
Korean: 근육
Norwegian: muskel
Polish: mięsień
European Portuguese: músculo
Romanian: mușchi
Russian: мышца
Spanish: músculo
Swedish: muskel
Thai: กล้ามเนื้อ
Turkish: kas
Ukrainian: м'яз
Vietnamese: cơ bắp

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muscle

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Definition of muscle from the Collins English Dictionary

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Question: 1

Score: 0 / 5

lead or led?

Which version is correct?

The water flowed through old-fashioned lead pipes. The water flowed through old-fashioned led pipes.

pail or pale?

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Ben put the pail down beside the vet. Ben put the pale down beside the vet.

larva or lava?

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lava

larva

Rivers of flowed down the volcano.

weather or whether?

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weather

whether

Fishing is possible in virtually any .

flew or flu?

Which version is correct?

Both of us had come down with the flew. Both of us had come down with the flu.

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Sep 25, 2021

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Scrabble score
for 'muscle':
10

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question: 1

Score: 0 / 5

childlike or childish?

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childish

childlike

We were shocked by their selfish and behaviour.

comic or comical?

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comical

comic

There is something slightly about them.

also or too?

Which version is correct?

They also helped out. They too helped out.

anxious for or anxious that?

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anxious for

anxious that

She's the chance to compete in the Games.

arrived or reached?

Which version is correct?

I arrived at the hotel yesterday. I reached at the hotel yesterday.

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New collocations added to dictionary

Collocations are words that are often used together and are brilliant at providing natural sounding language for your speech and writing. February 13, 2020 Read more

Definition of 'muscle'

muscle

Video: pronunciation of muscle

muscle in American English

muscle in American English

muscle in British English

Examples of 'muscle' in a sentence muscle

Related word partners muscle <span class="beta" style="background-image:url(&#34;/us/external/images/beta.png?version=4.0.182&#34;)">&nbsp;</span> <span class="logo_information" style="background-image:url(&#34;/us/external/images/information-button.svg?version=4.0.182&#34;)"> </span>

Trends of muscle

In other languages muscle

Browse alphabetically muscle

Related terms of muscle

Source

Video: pronunciation of
muscle

Examples of 'muscle' in a sentence
muscle

Related word partners
muscle

Trends of
muscle

In other languages
muscle

Browse alphabetically
muscle

Related terms of
muscle