beef

[ beef ]

noun

plural beeves [beevz] 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. 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. beevesbiːvz an adult ox, bull, cow, etc, reared for its meat
3. informal.
   human flesh, esp when muscular
4. beefs a complaint

verb

1. slang.
   intr to complain, esp repeatedly

   he was beefing about his tax

2. informal.
   troften foll byup to strengthen; reinforce

Other Words From

• beefless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of beef¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; 1885–90 beef fordef 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

In addition to the idiom beginning with beef , also see where's the beef .

Example Sentences

Other commodities that are projected to see substantial declines in exports include hay, walnuts, rice, beef, grapes, oranges and cotton.

From Los Angeles Times

He will coordinate with city departments, work with the business community and oversee an effort to beef up the city’s transportation networks.

From Los Angeles Times

Canada has promised to beef up border security since Trump's surprise tariff threat.

From BBC

By replicating beef, the health impacts of lab-grown meat are similarly bad.

From Salon

This is the first study to test seaweed on grazing beef cattle in the world.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• meat