- muscle
- mus|cle1 W3S2 [ˈmʌsəl] n[Date: 1300-1400; : French; Origin: Latin musculus 'little mouse, muscle, mussel', from mus 'mouse'; because a muscle moving looks like a mouse under the skin]1.) [U and C]one of the pieces of flesh inside your body that you use in order to move, and that connect your bones together▪ Relax your stomach muscles , then stretch again.▪ Regular exercise will help to strengthen your muscles .▪ Beckham has pulled a muscle in his thigh and won't play tomorrow.2.) not move a muscleto stay completely still▪ The soldier stood without moving a muscle.3.) [U]power or influencemilitary/economic/political etc muscle▪ The unions have a lot of political muscle.▪ The agreement will give the UN some muscle to enforce human rights.4.) [U]physical strength and power▪ It took muscle to work in an old-fashioned kitchen.put some muscle into it(=used to tell someone to work harder)▬▬▬▬▬▬▬COLLOCATES for sense 1arm/leg/neck/stomach etc musclesthe muscles in your leg/arm/stomach etcstrengthen/build up your musclespull/strain a muscle (=injure a muscle)flex your muscles (=bend your arm muscles so that people can see how strong you are)muscle tissue/fibres (=the material that muscles are made of)muscle tone (=the firmness of your muscles )▬▬▬▬▬▬▬muscle 2muscle2 vmuscle your way into/through etc sthto use your strength to go somewhere▪ Joe and Tony muscled their way through the crowd.muscle in phr vto use your power to get involved in or take control of something that someone else was doing, especially in business - used to show disapprovalmuscle in on▪ Banks are muscling in on the insurance business.
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.