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

A longtime security hawk, she has big plans to beef up Japan’s armed forces with new weapons and capabilities.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Maybe, if you are looking for an Australian Wagyu beef of a certain grade, that may be in short supply. But that would be momentarily, in a particular store at a particular point in time.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Earlier this week, Polymarket said it was beefing up its rules against insider trading, prohibiting users from trading on stolen confidential information or illegal tips.

From The Wall Street Journal

The largest beef processor in the U.S. by volume is among companies trudging through a nationwide cattle shortage that’s driving up prices.

From The Wall Street Journal

On the day of his death, two dishes on the day's menu were listed as being suitable for a textured diet - beef stew and chicken paella.

From BBC

Related Words

• meat