From Middle English beef, bef, beof, borrowed from Anglo-Norman beof, Old French buef, boef (“ox”) (modern French bœuf); from Latin bovem (“ox”), from Proto-Italic *gʷōs, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷṓws. Doublet of cow.
Beef in the sense of “a grudge, argument” was originally an American slang expression:
* attested as a verb “to complain” in 1888: “He'll beef an' kick like a steer an' let on he won't never wear 'em.”— New York World, 13 May;
* attested as a noun “complaint, protest, grievance, sim.” in 1899: “He made a Horrible Beef because he couldn't get Loaf Sugar for his Coffee.”—Fables in Slang (1900) by George Ade, page 80.
As to the possible origin of this American usage, it has been suggested that it can be traced back to a British expression for “alarm”, first recorded in 1725: "BEEF 'to alarm, as To cry beef upon us; they have discover'd us, and are in Pursuit of us". The term "beef" in this context would be a Cockney rhyming slang of thief. However, the continuous use of a similar expression, including its assumed semantic shift to 'complaint' in the United States from the 1880s onwards, needs further clarification.
Meanings
(not-comparable) Being a bovine animal that is being raised for its meat.
We bought three beef calves this morning.
(not-comparable) Producing or known for raising lots of beef.
beef country
beef farms
(not-comparable) Consisting of or containing beef as an ingredient.
From Middle English beef, bef, beof, borrowed from Anglo-Norman beof, Old French buef, boef (“ox”) (modern French bœuf); from Latin bovem (“ox”), from Proto-Italic *gʷōs, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷṓws. Doublet of cow.
Beef in the sense of “a grudge, argument” was originally an American slang expression:
* attested as a verb “to complain” in 1888: “He'll beef an' kick like a steer an' let on he won't never wear 'em.”— New York World, 13 May;
* attested as a noun “complaint, protest, grievance, sim.” in 1899: “He made a Horrible Beef because he couldn't get Loaf Sugar for his Coffee.”—Fables in Slang (1900) by George Ade, page 80.
As to the possible origin of this American usage, it has been suggested that it can be traced back to a British expression for “alarm”, first recorded in 1725: "BEEF 'to alarm, as To cry beef upon us; they have discover'd us, and are in Pursuit of us". The term "beef" in this context would be a Cockney rhyming slang of thief. However, the continuous use of a similar expression, including its assumed semantic shift to 'complaint' in the United States from the 1880s onwards, needs further clarification.
Meanings
(uncountable) The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults.
But the cars & trucks held cartons of roast chickens, slabs of cheeses, loaves of bread, racks of hotdogs, case upon case of soft drinks, cases of bottled sparkling water, pies, cakes, roast beefs & baked hams. 2008, Red Jordan Arobateau, Leader of the Pack, page 136:
I love eating beef.
He was cooking beef for lunch.
(countable, in the meat industry, qualifier:on product packaging, uncountable) The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults. ▸ The edible portions of a cow (including those which are not meat).
lean finely textured beef
boneless lean beef trimmings
McDonald’s has been vocal about adding more chicken to its menu, which is generally cheaper than beef. CEO Chris Kempczinski said in its most recent earnings call that it’s focused on adding “growth drivers like chicken” in an attempt to reverse slumping sales. Chicken is now on par with beef sales at its restaurants, he added. 2024 October 3, Jordan Valinsky, “McDonald’s is finally selling the Chicken Big Mac in the US”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 17 Nov 2024:
(broadly, slang, uncountable) The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults. ▸ Muscle or musculature; size, strength or potency.
Put some beef into it! We've got to get the car over the bump.
We've got to get some beef into the enforcement provisions of that law.
(figuratively, slang, uncountable) The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults. ▸ Essence, content; the important part of a document or project.
The beef of his paper was a long rant about government.
(uncountable) Bovine animals.
However, there were millions of head of beef roaming the plains of Texas. 2010 October 21, “Who's the real McCoy? Abilene's Joseph in 8 Wonders contest”, in Abilene Recorder Chronicle:
(Canada, US, countable, qualifier:plural beeves, uncommon) A bovine (cow or bull) being raised for its meat.
As when two lions in the ſtill dark night / An herd of beeves ſcatter or num'rous flock / Suddenly, in the abſence of the guard, / So fled the heartleſs Greeks, […] 1791, Homer, “[The Iliad.] Book XV.”, in W[illiam] Cowper, transl., The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer, Translated into Blank Verse, […], volume I, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 394, lines 398–401:
Do you want to raise beeves?
I remember I killed a beef one time by myself. 2012, Bart Reilly, quotee, “Beef”, in Ontario Dialects Project, Toronto: University of Toronto, archived from the original on 05 Jul 2022:
Howbeit, that country bringeth forth certain kinds of goodly great wild bœufes: to wit, the Biſontes, mained with a collar, like Lions: and the Vri, a mightie ſtrong beaſt, and a ſwift: which the ignorant people call Buffles, whereas indeed the Buffle is bred in Affrica, and carieth ſome reſemblance of a calfe rather, or a ſtag. 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book VIII.] Of Scythian beasts, and those that are bred in the North parts.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], 1st tome, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, pages 199–200:
Cutting out a Beef for branding 1920–1930, Photo in the North Dakota State Museum
263. If he [one to whom a beef or sheep is loaned] ruins the beef or sheep that was loaned him, he is to return to the owner a beef for a beef and a sheep for a sheep. 1903 March, Henry Mason Baum, Frederick Bennett Wright, George Frederick Wright, Records of the Past, volume II, part III, page 87, translating the laws of Hammurabi
(countable, qualifier:plural beefs, slang, uncountable) A grudge; dislike (of something or someone); lack of faith or trust (in something or someone); a reason for a dislike or grudge. (often + with)
Remember what happened last fall? That's his beef with me.
He's got a beef with everyone in the room.
All I got is beef with those that violate me / I shall annihilate thee 1997, “Going Back to Cali”, in Life After Death, performed by The Notorious B.I.G.:
He's got beef over what you said.
(countable, slang, uncountable) A criminal charge.
I'm in prison for attempting to kill two police officers (a genuine bum beef) and am alleged to be a part of a group of mad bombers. 1986 February 15, Ed Mead, “untitled”, in Gay Commmunity News, volume 7, number 29, page 8:
The man most recently murdered is said to have been a key defense witness in the trial of two other Indians facing hanging beefs for their alleged killing of a guard. 1986 February 15, Ed Mead, “untitled”, in Gay Commmunity News, volume 7, number 29, page 9:
(countable, qualifier:Dorset, uncountable) Fibrous calcite or limestone, especially when occurring in a jagged layer between shales in Dorset.
Clays, shales, sands, red and green marls, and alum shale, with occasional layers of "beef" (fibrous carbonate of lime) […] Chief "Beef" Beds, Dark (alum) shales with "beef" and selenite, beds of limestone, and layers of perished shells. Cyrena and Cyrides.
Corbula Beds. Layers of shelly limestone, shale, alum shale, and marl, with "beef" and selenite. 1895, Geological Survey of Great Britain, The Jurassic Rocks of Britain: Pub. by Order of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, page 243:
[…] beds of limestone and thin layers of 'beef' (fibrous calcite)[…] 2007 May 10, Robin McInnes, Jenny Jakeways, Helen Fairbank, Emma Mathie, Landslides and Climate Change: Challenges and Solutions: Proceedings of the International Conference on Landslides and Climate Change, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, UK, 21-24 May 2007, CRC Press, →ISBN, page 421:
Medium-grey paper shales with beef. 1993, Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, Proceedings - Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, volumes 114-115, page 190:
From Middle English beef, bef, beof, borrowed from Anglo-Norman beof, Old French buef, boef (“ox”) (modern French bœuf); from Latin bovem (“ox”), from Proto-Italic *gʷōs, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷṓws. Doublet of cow.
Beef in the sense of “a grudge, argument” was originally an American slang expression:
* attested as a verb “to complain” in 1888: “He'll beef an' kick like a steer an' let on he won't never wear 'em.”— New York World, 13 May;
* attested as a noun “complaint, protest, grievance, sim.” in 1899: “He made a Horrible Beef because he couldn't get Loaf Sugar for his Coffee.”—Fables in Slang (1900) by George Ade, page 80.
As to the possible origin of this American usage, it has been suggested that it can be traced back to a British expression for “alarm”, first recorded in 1725: "BEEF 'to alarm, as To cry beef upon us; they have discover'd us, and are in Pursuit of us". The term "beef" in this context would be a Cockney rhyming slang of thief. However, the continuous use of a similar expression, including its assumed semantic shift to 'complaint' in the United States from the 1880s onwards, needs further clarification.
Meanings
(intransitive, slang) To complain.
“Don't you like the Red Room?” “The Red Room!” I gathered from his manner that he had not come to beef about his sleeping accommodation. 1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter X, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:
"Who's Precious?" she beefed when she saw the big tattoo running down my inner arm. 2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 131:
(slang, transitive) To add weight or strength to.
First off, the axle housing was beefed by welding areas where extreme loading is evident (black marked areas). 1969, Hot Rod, volume 22, page 59:
(intransitive, slang) To fart; break wind.
Ugh, who just beefed in here?
(Yorkshire, intransitive) To cry.
David was beefing last night after Ruth told him off.
(slang, transitive) To fail or mess up.
I beefed my presentation hard yesterday.
(Multicultural-London-English, intransitive, qualifier:chiefly African-American Vernacular, slang) To feud or hold a grudge against.
Those two are beefing right now — best you stay out of it.
(Australia, intransitive, slang) To sing or speak loudly; to cry out.