Dictionary.com

beef

[ beef ]
/ bif /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for: beef / beefed / beefing on Thesaurus.com
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.
  1. brawn; muscular strength.
  2. strength; power.
  3. weight, as of a person.
  4. human flesh.
Slang.
  1. a complaint.
  2. an argument or dispute.
verb (used without object)
Slang. to complain; grumble.
Verb Phrases
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.
QUIZ
ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ
There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!
Question 1 of 7
True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.
true
false
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of beef

First recorded in 1250–1300; 1885–90 for def. 5; Middle English, from Anglo-French beof, Old French boef, from Latin bov- (stem of bōs ) “ox, cow”; akin to cow1

OTHER WORDS FROM beef

beefless, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to beef

meat, arm, brawn, flesh, force, heftiness, might, muscle, physique, power, robustness, sinew, steam, strength, vigor, bickering, criticism, dispute, grievance, gripe

How to use beef in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for beef

beef
/ (biːf) /
noun
the flesh of various bovine animals, esp the cow, when killed for eating
plural beeves (biːvz) 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 bōs 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 Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
FEEDBACK