Link Centre Dictionary

muscle

UK/ˈmʌs.əl/ US/ˈmʌs.l̩/ common
noun (5) verb (1)

noun

1.

one of the contractile organs of the body

Synonyms
2.

animal tissue consisting predominantly of contractile cells

Synonyms
3.

a bully employed as a thug or bodyguard

  • “the drug lord had his muscleman to protect him”
Synonyms
4.

authority or power or force (especially when used in a coercive way)

  • “the senators used their muscle to get the party leader to resign”
5.

verb

1.

make one''s way by force

  • “He muscled his way into the office”

Origin

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.

Phrases

  • beer muscles
  • delayed onset muscle soreness
  • delayed-onset muscle soreness
  • gym muscles
  • hired muscle
  • love muscle
  • make a muscle
  • mind-muscle connection
  • muscle in
  • muscle in on
  • muscle up

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

Parts

Part of

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.