beef

American  

[beef] / bif /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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verb

1. slang (intr) to complain, esp repeatedly

   he was beefing about his tax

2. informal to strengthen; reinforce

beef Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing beef

• where's the beef

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Other Word Forms

• beefless adjective

Etymology

Origin of beef

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

Example Sentences

The decisions struck a nerve in a country renowned for dishes like steak and fries and beef bourguignon -- despite evidence that meat production generates significant greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

From Barron's

James Winslade, a beef and arable farmer from Somerset, has seen more than 90% of his farm submerged in the recent rains, and said he is days away from losing his crops to rot.

From BBC

Voices were raised on both sides of the dispute, which allegedly stems from a 30-year-old beef between Ja Rule and 50 Cent.

From Los Angeles Times

“We don’t really want to have any beef with anyone,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

"And because they are eating such a variety of plants, it produces a really high-quality beef at the end of the day."

From BBC

Related Words

• meat