beef

[beef]

noun

plural

beeves, beefs 

1. the flesh of a cow, steer, or bull raised and killed for its meat.

2. an adult cow, steer, or bull raised for its meat.

3. Informal.

   1. brawn; muscular strength.

   2. strength; power.

   3. weight, as of a person.

   4. human flesh.

4. Slang.

   1. a complaint.

   2. an argument or dispute.

verb (used without object)

1. Slang.,  to complain; grumble.

verb phrase

1. beef up

   1. to add strength, numbers, force, etc., to; strengthen.

      During the riots, the nighttime patrol force was beefed up with volunteers.

   2. to increase or add to.

      to beef up our fringe benefits.

beef

/ biːf /

noun

1. the flesh of various bovine animals, esp the cow, when killed for eating

2. an adult ox, bull, cow, etc, reared for its meat

3. informal,  human flesh, esp when muscular

4. a complaint

verb

1. slang,  (intr) to complain, esp repeatedly

   he was beefing about his tax

2. informal,  to strengthen; reinforce

Other Word Forms

• beefless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of beef¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; 1885–90 beef for def. 5; Middle English, from Anglo-French beof, Old French boef, from Latin bov- (stem of bōs ) “ox, cow”; akin to cow ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of beef¹

C13: from Old French boef , from Latin bōs ox; see _cow ¹

Idioms and Phrases

• where's the beef

Example Sentences

But as the Kremlin's relationship with the West soured and Moscow's attacks on Western liberalism and "non-traditional values" intensified, so did Russia's beef with the Eurovision Song Contest.

From BBC

US rapper Cardi B has returned with her first album in seven years, a blistering collection of songs that reference her recent divorce and ongoing beef with another female rapper.

From BBC

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is aggressively looking to beef up its staffing.

From Los Angeles Times

County supervisors voted Tuesday to approve a motion, introduced by Supervisor Hilda Solis, to beef up oversight of data gathered by law enforcement devices known as automated license plate readers.

From Los Angeles Times

We brunched on the restaurant’s chorizo omelet, braised beef empanadas and a towering lemon berry French toast.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• meat