- a tissue composed of cells or fibers, the contraction of which produces movement in the body.
- an organ, composed of muscle tissue, that contracts to produce a particular movement.
- muscular strength; brawn: It will take a great deal of muscle to move this box.
- power or force, especially of a coercive nature: They put muscle into their policy and sent the marines.
- lean meat.
- Slang.
- a hired thug or thugs.
- a bodyguard or bodyguards: a gangster protected by muscle.
- a necessary or fundamental thing, quality, etc.: The editor cut the muscle from the article.
- to force or compel others to make way for: He muscled his way into the conversation.
- to make more muscular: The dancing lessons muscled her legs.
- to strengthen or toughen; put muscle into.
- to accomplish by muscular force: to muscle the partition into place.
- to force or compel, as by threats, promises, influence, or the like: to muscle a bill through Congress.
- to make one's way by force or fraud (often followed by in or into).
- (of a machine, engine, or vehicle) being very powerful or capable of high-speed performance: a muscle power saw.
- a tissue composed of bundles of elongated cells capable of contraction and relaxation to produce movement in an organ or part
- an organ composed of muscle tissue
- strength or force
- to force one's way (in)
