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Muscle Definition

muscle

See also musclé

Contents

English

Wikipedia has an article on: Muscle

Alternative forms

Etymology

From French muscle, from Latin mūsculus (“a muscle”, literally “little mouse”), because of the mouselike appearance of some muscles, from Ancient Greek μῦς (mus, “mouse, muscle, mussel”). Cognate with Old English mūs (“mouse", also "muscle”). More at mouse.

Pronunciation

Noun

muscle (plural muscles)

  1. (uncountable) A contractile form of tissue which animals use to effect movement.
    Muscle consists largely of actin and myosin filaments.
  2. (countable) An organ composed of muscle tissue.
    The muscles in his legs strained under the load.
  3. (uncountable, figuratively) Strength.
    It took a lot of muscle to move the boulders.
  4. (uncountable) Hired strongmen or bodyguards.
    • 1985 — Lance Parkin, The Infinity Doctors, p 34
      It was easy enough to dodge him, let him crash into the floorboards. Peltroc knew that his priority was the leader, not the hired muscle.

Derived terms

Terms derived from muscle (noun)

See also

Verb

muscle (third-person singular simple present muscles, present participle muscling, simple past and past participle muscled)

  1. To use force to make progress, especially physical force.
    He muscled his way through the crowd.
    • 1988, Steve Holman, "Christian Conquers Columbus", Ironman 47 (6): 28-34.
      Hensel and Wilson hit a series of leg shots simultaneously as Christian muscles between them with Quinn right on his heels.

Derived terms

Translations

use force to make progress

Related terms

Catalan

Pronunciation

Noun

muscle m. (plural muscles)

  1. shoulder

Synonyms

French

Etymology

Latin musculus, literally ‘little mouse’.

Pronunciation

Noun

muscle m. (plural muscles)

  1. muscle (contractile tissue, strength)

Verb

muscle

  1. first-person singular present indicative of muscler
  2. third-person singular present indicative of muscler
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of muscler
  4. first-person singular present subjunctive of muscler
  5. second-person singular imperative of muscler

Middle French

Noun

muscle m. (plural muscles)

  1. (anatomy) muscle

 

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More Definition Results for "Muscle"
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'Muscle' Information

Muscle (from Latin musculus, diminutive of mus "mouse") is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to produce force and cause motion. Muscles can cause either locomotion of the organism itself or movement of internal organs. Cardiac and smooth muscle contraction occurs without conscious thought and is necessary for survival. Examples are the contraction of the heart and peristalsis which pushes food through the digestive system. Voluntary contraction of the skeletal muscles is used to move the body and can be finely controlled. Examples are movements of the eye, or gross movements like the quadriceps muscle of the thigh.
from: Wikipedia: muscle,
Sat Apr 28 08:53:34 2012
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