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 the entrepreneurial Roberts went on to turn that seed of an idea into a bean and beef burrito that could be sold frozen and then deep-fried.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That case -- part of a high-profile beef between the two men -- was dismissed in October.

Read more on Barron's

Caterpillar CAT -3.23%decrease; red down pointing triangle is looking to accelerate its annual sales growth through 2030 and beef up its capital spending on capacity and digital technology.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Most of the starters — salmon tartare with quinoa, meat sushi and beef carpaccio topped with Parmesan — didn’t wow us, despite their theatrical presentation.

Read more on Salon

They held regular dinner parties for friends, colleagues and students, and Morgan was renowned for her cooking, with a repertoire that included jambalaya, French beef stew, fried chicken and shrimp étouffée.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• meat