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beef
[ beef ]
/ bif /
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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.
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Origin of beef
First recorded in 1250â1300; 1885â90 for def. 5; Middle English, from Anglo-French beof, Old French boef, from Latin bov- (stem of bĆs ) âox, cowâ; akin to cow1
OTHER WORDS FROM beef
beefless, adjectiveWords nearby beef
beech mast, beechnut, beechwood, beedi, bee-eater, beef, beefalo, beef bouillon, beef bourguignon, beefburger, beefcake
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use beef in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for beef
beef
/ (biËf) /
noun
the flesh of various bovine animals, esp the cow, when killed for eating
plural beeves (biËvz) 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 repeatedlyhe 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 bĆs ox; see cow 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with beef
beef
The American HeritageÂź Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.