flex one's muscles en · VERB
Meanings
- (literally) To tense and bend one's flexor muscles.
-
(figuratively) To show off one's strength or skills.
But at a time of a growing perception in the West that China is flexing its muscles [...], countries closer to China’s shores also worry that it might be getting more assertive.
2010 January 21, “Choppy waters”, in The Economist:Gomez's goals were his 10th and 11th of the season but only Hart's excellence prevented that total being extended, as the four-time European Cup winners flexed their muscles.
2011 September 27, Alistair Magowan, “Bayern Munich 2 - 0 Man City”, in BBC Sport:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| flexed one's muscles | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| flexed one's muscles | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| flexing one's muscles | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| flexes one's muscles | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
Translations (11)
de Muskeln spielen lassen (to make a show of strength) · fi pullistella (to tense and bend one's flexor muscles) · ru изгиба́ть мы́шцы (to tense and bend one's flexor muscles) · cmn 秀肌肉 (to tense and bend one's flexor muscles) · pl prężyć muskuły (to tense and bend one's flexor muscles) · ru игра́ть му́скулами (to make a show of strength) · ru напряга́ть му́скулы (to tense and bend one's flexor muscles) · fi verrytellä (to tense and bend one's flexor muscles) · pl prężyć muskuły (to make a show of strength) · fi pullistella (to make a show of strength) · ru демонстри́ровать си́лу (to make a show of strength)