Origin of muscle
OTHER WORDS FROM muscle
Words nearby muscle
British Dictionary definitions for muscle in
muscle
/ (ˈmʌsəl) /
noun
a tissue composed of bundles of elongated cells capable of contraction and relaxation to produce movement in an organ or part
an organ composed of muscle tissue
strength or force
verb
(intr; often foll by in, on, etc) informal
to force one's way (in)
Derived forms of muscle
muscly, adjectiveWord Origin for muscle
C16: from medical Latin
musculus little mouse, from the imagined resemblance of some muscles to mice, from Latin
mūs mouse
Medical definitions for muscle in
muscle
[ mŭs′əl ]
n.
A tissue consisting predominantly of contractile cells and classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth, the last lacking transverse striations characteristic of the first two.
Any of the contractile organs of the body by which movements of the various organs and parts are effected, and whose fibers are usually attached at each extremity to a bone or other structure by a tendon.
Scientific definitions for muscle in
muscle
[ mŭs′əl ]
A body tissue composed of sheets or bundles of cells that contract to produce movement or increase tension. Muscle cells contain filaments made of the proteins actin and myosin, which lie parallel to each other. When a muscle is signaled to contract, the actin and myosin filaments slide past each other in an overlapping pattern.♦ Skeletal muscle effects voluntary movement and is made up of bundles of elongated cells (muscle fibers), each of which contains many nuclei.♦ Smooth muscle provides the contractile force for the internal organs and is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Smooth muscle cells are spindle-shaped and each contains a single nucleus.♦ Cardiac muscle makes up the muscle of the heart and consists of a meshwork of striated cells.
Other words from muscle
muscular adjectiveIdioms and Phrases with muscle in (1 of 2)
muscle in
Also, muscle in on. Forcibly intrude on or interfere with something, as in The children were determined not to allow the school bully to muscle in, or No more muscling in on our policy decisions! [Colloquial; 1920s]
Idioms and Phrases with muscle in (2 of 2)
muscle