n.
- A tissue composed of fibers capable of contracting to effect bodily movement.
- A contractile organ consisting of a special bundle of muscle tissue, which moves a particular bone, part, or substance of the body: the heart muscle; the muscles of the arm.
- Muscular strength: enough muscle to be a high jumper.
- Informal. Power or authority: put some muscle into law enforcement.
v. Informal, -cled, -cling, -cles. v.intr.
To make one's way by or as if by force: muscled into the conversation.
v.tr.
To move or force with strength: muscled legislation through Congress.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin mūsculus, diminutive of mūs, mouse.]
muscly mus'cly adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
