beef
[ beef ]
/ bif /
noun, plural beeves [beevz] /bivz/ for 2; beefs for 4.
the flesh of a cow, steer, or bull raised and killed for its meat.
an adult cow, steer, or bull raised for its meat.
Informal.
- brawn; muscular strength.
- strength; power.
- weight, as of a person.
- human flesh.
Slang.
- a complaint.
- an argument or dispute.
verb (used without object)
Slang.
to complain; grumble.
Verb Phrases
beef up,
- to add strength, numbers, force, etc., to; strengthen: During the riots, the nighttime patrol force was beefed up with volunteers.
- to increase or add to: to beef up our fringe benefits.
Origin of beef
1250–1300; 1885–90
for def 5; Middle English < Anglo-French
beof, Old French
boef < Latin
bov- (stem of
bōs) ox, cow; akin to
cow1
OTHER WORDS FROM beef
beef·less, adjectiveWords nearby beef
Example sentences from the Web for beef
British Dictionary definitions for beef
beef
/ (biːf) /
noun
the flesh of various bovine animals, esp the cow, when killed for eating
plural beeves (biːvz)
an adult ox, bull, cow, etc, reared for its meat
informal
human flesh, esp when muscular
plural beefs
a complaint
verb
(intr) slang
to complain, esp repeatedly
he was beefing about his tax
(tr often foll by up) informal
to strengthen; reinforce
Word Origin for beef
C13: from Old French
boef, from Latin
bōs ox; see
cow
1
Idioms and Phrases with beef
beef