muscle en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
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.
Meanings
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(uncountable) A contractile form of tissue which animals use to effect movement.
For as the Trunk of the Body, is kept from tilting forvvard by the Muſcules of the Back: So, from falling backvvard, by theſe of the Belly.
1701, Nehemiah Grew, “Of the Use of Organized Bodies”, in Cosmologia Sacra: Or A Discourse of the Universe as It is the Creature and Kingdom of God. […], London: […] W[illiam] Rogers, S[amuel] Smith, and B[enjamin] Walford: […], →OCLC, 1st book, paragraph 18, page 27:Muscle consists largely of actin and myosin filaments.
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(countable) An organ composed of muscle tissue.
You, Boxer, the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power, Jones will sell you to the knacker […]
1943 November – 1944 February (date written; published 1945 August 17), George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg, published May 1962, →OCLC:His brow and hair and the palms of his hands were wet, and there was a kind of nervous contraction of his muscles. They seemed to ripple and string tense.
1912 January, Zane Grey, chapter VIII, in Riders of the Purple Sage […], New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC:
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(countable, plural-normally, uncountable) A well-developed physique, in which the muscles are enlarged from exercise.
2008, Lou Schuler, "Foreward", in Nate Green, Built for Show, page xii The fact that I was middle-aged, bald, married, and raising girls instead of chasing them didn't really bother me. Muscles are cool at any age.
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(figuratively, uncountable) Strength, force.
The widely-backed campaign to recall Evan Mecham as governor of Arizona gained even more muscle when the state House of Representatives voted to impeach the ultraconservative on February 5.
1988 February 14, Elizabeth Pincus, “Arizona Impeaches Right-Wing Governor”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 30, page 1:How can the unions - or more specifically the RMT—possibly think this is a good time to exert a bit of industrial muscle and indulge in strikes both on the national railway and the London Underground?
2022 January 12, Christian Wolmar, “A new year... but the same old mistakes are being made”, in RAIL, number 948, pages 40–41:The lesson to be drawn from the events of 1914, to Roosevelt's mind, was that civilization needed muscle to defend it, not just solemn words.
2010, Adam Quinn, US Foreign Policy in Context, page 81:It was going to take muscle to pluck Miss Agnes out of the canal.
2013, John D. MacDonald, The Long Lavender Look, page 15:
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(figuratively, uncountable) Hired strongmen or bodyguards.
It was easy enough to dodge him, let him crash into the floorboards. Peltroc knew that his priority was the leader, not the hired muscle.
1985, Lance Parkin, The Infinity Doctors, page 34:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| muscles | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| muscule | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
muscled · musclewoman · musclebrain · muscleless · muscular · musculature · muscle tone · intermuscle · hired muscle · muscle boy · muscly · make a muscle · muscley · muscle relaxant · muscle car · nonmuscle · delayed onset muscle soreness · muscle worship · muscle-prism · muscle memory · muscle segment · muscle queen · musclehead · musclelike · muscle man · musclebike · muscle mommy · muscle girl · musclebound · gym muscles · muscle head · muscle fiber · muscle-bound · muscle spindle · muscle-eye-brain disease · muscle ass · muscle boat · muscleful · love muscle · on the muscle · muscle fibre · muscle plum · muscle-queen · muscleman · muscle confusion · muscled up · muscle god · musclegirl · Muscle Beach · muscle reading · beer muscles · musclesome · muscledom · muscle morph · hypermuscle · Muscle Creek · muscle shirt · delayed-onset muscle soreness · musclewood · muscle Mary · muscle dysmorphia · muscularity · muscleblind · mind-muscle connection · muscle woman · white muscle disease
Descendants
Hypernyms
musculature (tissue or organ)
Hyponyms
superior auricular muscle · thyrohyoid muscle · Albinus' muscl · mylohyoid muscle · triangularis muscle · masseter muscle · cricothyroid muscle · Molson muscle · external oblique muscle · stylohyoid muscle · striated muscle · posterior scalene muscle · middle scalene muscle · heart muscle · papillary muscle · temporal muscle · sternohyoid muscle · internal oblique muscle · rectus abdominis muscle · pectoral muscle · geniohyoid muscle · involuntary muscle · temporoparietalis muscle · posterior cricoarytenoid muscle · posterior auricular muscle · jaw muscle · lateral cricoarytenoid muscle · Santorini's muscle · Types of muscles: see also Category:en:Muscles · skeletal muscle · sternocleidomastoid muscle · inferior oblique muscle · scalene muscle · shaving muscle · medial pterygoid muscle · abdominal muscle · lateral pterygoid muscle · pterygoid muscle · auricular muscle · striped muscle · voluntary muscle · cardiac muscle · tailor's muscle · abdominoscrotal muscle · sternothyroid muscle · abducens muscle · digastric muscle · superior oblique muscle · deltoideus muscle · rectus muscle · thyroarytenoid muscle · Müller's muscle · iris dilator muscle · cricoarytenoid muscle · omohyoid muscle · superior tarsal muscle · anterior auricular muscle · ciliary muscle · extraocular muscle · anterior scalene muscle · muscle of mastication · arytenoid muscle · oblique muscle · smooth muscle · caninus muscle · deltoid muscle
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (241)
wa musse (contractile tissue) · nrf muscle (strength, force) · cmn 肌肉 (organ composed of muscle tissue) · mi ia (contractile tissue) · umu wchéht (contractile tissue) · mfe misk (contractile tissue) · egy D52:X1-T14-T14-X1:F51 (contractile tissue) · rsk мишица (contractile tissue) · is styrkur (strength, force) · ce дилха (contractile tissue) · te కండ (organ composed of muscle tissue) · kn ಸ್ನಾಯು (contractile tissue) · sl mišica (organ composed of muscle tissue) · mt muskolu (contractile tissue) · rsk мускула (contractile tissue) · hi मांसपेशी (contractile tissue) · wa musse (organ composed of muscle tissue) · ga matán (contractile tissue) · io muskulo (contractile tissue) · ota عضله (contractile tissue) · my ကြွက်သား (contractile tissue) · vo muskul (contractile tissue) · ar عَضَلَة (organ composed of muscle tissue) · la musculus (organ composed of muscle tissue) · sv muskel (organ composed of muscle tissue) · lv muskulis (organ composed of muscle tissue) · nds Muskel (contractile tissue) · tl kalamnan (contractile tissue) · fr muscle (contractile tissue) · ky булчуң эт (contractile tissue) · hu izom (organ composed of muscle tissue) · sc musculu (contractile tissue) · tl masel (contractile tissue) · ml പേശി (contractile tissue) · gu સ્નાયુ (contractile tissue) · uz muskul (contractile tissue) · he שְׁרִיר (contractile tissue) · ms otot (contractile tissue) · sw msuli (contractile tissue) · nl spier (contractile tissue) · sh mìšīć (contractile tissue) · es músculo (contractile tissue) · to uoua (organ composed of muscle tissue) · pl mięśnie (organ composed of muscle tissue) · kmr ezalet (contractile tissue) · cv сенкерле (contractile tissue) · ang līra (contractile tissue) · ps عضله (contractile tissue) · tet múskulu (organ composed of muscle tissue) · id otot (contractile tissue) · jv otot (contractile tissue) · mg ozatra (contractile tissue) · yue 筋肉 (contractile tissue) · et lihas (contractile tissue) · myv пукшо (contractile tissue) · sm maso (contractile tissue) · cs sval (contractile tissue) · tr adale (contractile tissue) · sh mìšīć (strength, force) · yo iṣan (contractile tissue) · gl músculo (contractile tissue) · fr muscle (strength, force) · hy մկան (contractile tissue) · lv spēks (strength, force) · hu izom (contractile tissue) · ka კუნთი (contractile tissue) · tet uat (contractile tissue) · ast músculu (contractile tissue) · csm pasú·ka- (contractile tissue) · pt músculo (contractile tissue) · fi lihas (organ composed of muscle tissue) · mk мускул (contractile tissue) · fi lihas (well-developed physique) · cy cyhyr (contractile tissue) · ru му́скул (strength, force) · be мы́шца (contractile tissue) · mi uaua (contractile tissue) · is vöðvi (contractile tissue) · sa पेशी (contractile tissue) · el μυς (organ composed of muscle tissue) · sh mìšīć (organ composed of muscle tissue) · ja 筋 (contractile tissue) · oc muscle (contractile tissue) · es músculo (organ composed of muscle tissue) · lo ເນຶ້ອກ້າມ (contractile tissue) · be му́скул (contractile tissue) · hi पेशी (contractile tissue) · lv muskulis (contractile tissue) · izh muskula (contractile tissue) · izh muskula (organ composed of muscle tissue) · arz عضلة (organ composed of muscle tissue) · mi ua (contractile tissue) · fo vøddi (contractile tissue) · ba мускул (contractile tissue) · nb muskel (contractile tissue) · yi מוסקל (contractile tissue) · wa tchå (organ composed of muscle tissue) · su otot (contractile tissue) · nan-hbl 肌肉 (contractile tissue) · fa-ira عَضُلِه (contractile tissue) · grc μῦς (contractile tissue) · te కండరం (contractile tissue) · ti ጭዋዳ (contractile tissue) · tg мушак (contractile tissue) · fi voima (strength, force) · ky булчуң (contractile tissue) · kk бұлшықет (contractile tissue) · kaw hotot (contractile tissue) · ro mușchi (contractile tissue) · ar عَضَلَة (contractile tissue) · km សាច់ដុំ (contractile tissue) · es murecillo (organ composed of muscle tissue) · de Muskel (contractile tissue) · uk му́скул (contractile tissue) · oj mashkawiziiwin (contractile tissue) · bg му́скул (contractile tissue) · af spier (contractile tissue) · ja 筋肉 (contractile tissue) · cv мускул (contractile tissue) · ceb kusog (contractile tissue) · eo muskolo (contractile tissue) · txb passoñ (organ composed of muscle tissue) · enm muscle (contractile tissue) · vi cơ bắp (contractile tissue) · tg азала (contractile tissue) · sk sval (contractile tissue) · cmn 肌肉 (contractile tissue) · da muskel (contractile tissue) · sh мѝшӣћ (contractile tissue) · gu સ્નાયુ (organ composed of muscle tissue) · gl músculo (organ composed of muscle tissue) · rue мяз (contractile tissue) · tr kas (contractile tissue) · tk muskul (contractile tissue) · rup mushclju (contractile tissue) · ms otot (organ composed of muscle tissue) · arz عضلة (contractile tissue) · nv adoh (contractile tissue) · el δύναμη (strength, force) · am ጡንቻ (contractile tissue) · to uoua (contractile tissue) · mr स्नायू (contractile tissue) · uk мускулату́ра (well-developed physique) · grc ἴς (contractile tissue) · pt força (strength, force) · or ପେଶୀ (contractile tissue) · ta தசை (contractile tissue) · acw عَضَلة (contractile tissue) · ru му́скул (contractile tissue) · bo ཤ་ཤེད (contractile tissue) · rue мускул (contractile tissue) · vi bắp thịt (contractile tissue) · mel wat (contractile tissue) · nn vodve (contractile tissue) · nrf muscle (contractile tissue) · pl muskulatura (well-developed physique) · th กล้ามเนื้อ (contractile tissue) · fi muskeli (strength, force) · uz mushak (contractile tissue) · cmn 力量 (strength, force) · rm muscal (contractile tissue) · hy մկան (organ composed of muscle tissue) · fa-ira موشَک (contractile tissue) · eu gihar (contractile tissue) · it muscolo (contractile tissue) · fa-ira ماهیچِه (contractile tissue) · ru му́скул (organ composed of muscle tissue) · sq muskul (contractile tissue) · tg моҳича (contractile tissue) · kmr masûlke (contractile tissue) · vi cơ (contractile tissue) · tet uat (organ composed of muscle tissue) · sa स्नायु (contractile tissue) · lo ກ້າມ (contractile tissue) · te కండబలం (strength, force) · ar قُوَّة (strength, force) · mt muskolu (organ composed of muscle tissue) · nl spier (organ composed of muscle tissue) · cmn 筋肉 (contractile tissue) · ht misk (contractile tissue) · bn পেশী (contractile tissue) · as পেশী (contractile tissue) · ca múscul (contractile tissue) · ru мы́шца (organ composed of muscle tissue) · mn булчин (contractile tissue) · pt músculo (organ composed of muscle tissue) · xal бульчң (organ composed of muscle tissue) · sh мѝшӣћ (organ composed of muscle tissue) · de Muskel (organ composed of muscle tissue) · ug مۇسكۇل (contractile tissue) · pt músculo (strength, force) · sl mišica (contractile tissue) · ga matán (organ composed of muscle tissue) · sne masor (contractile tissue) · az əzələ (contractile tissue) · uz et (contractile tissue) · sh мѝшӣћ (strength, force) · ur عَضْلَہ (contractile tissue) · yue 肌肉 (contractile tissue) · lt raumuo (contractile tissue) · mn хүч тамир (contractile tissue) · tt мускул (contractile tissue) · xal бульчң (contractile tissue) · ru мы́шца (contractile tissue) · th กล้าม (contractile tissue) · pl mięsień (contractile tissue) · cmn 筋肉 (organ composed of muscle tissue) · fur muscul (contractile tissue) · sw msuli (organ composed of muscle tissue) · el μυς (contractile tissue) · nan-hbl 筋肉 (contractile tissue) · ky мускул (contractile tissue) · el ρώμη (strength, force) · nn sege (contractile tissue) · tet múskulu (contractile tissue) · rm muscul (contractile tissue) · hi मांसपेशी (organ composed of muscle tissue) · wa nier (unformally) (organ composed of muscle tissue) · pox moiskă (contractile tissue) · uk м'яз (contractile tissue) · pt musculatura (well-developed physique) · ro mușchi (organ composed of muscle tissue) · pl muskuł (contractile tissue) · txb passoñ (contractile tissue) · sm maso (organ composed of muscle tissue) · ru мускулату́ра (well-developed physique) · ru си́ла (strength, force) · la torus (contractile tissue) · is vöðvi (organ composed of muscle tissue) · bg му́скул (organ composed of muscle tissue) · ast músculu (organ composed of muscle tissue) · sv muskel (contractile tissue) · sah былчыҥ (contractile tissue) · ja 筋肉 (organ composed of muscle tissue) · ko 근육 (contractile tissue) · alt балтыр (contractile tissue) · fi lihas (contractile tissue) · la mūsculus (contractile tissue) · fi lihaskudos (contractile tissue) · be цяглі́ца (contractile tissue) · cy cyhyryn (organ composed of muscle tissue)