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muscle Definition

mus·cle (musəl)

noun

  1. any of the body organs consisting of bundles of cells or fibers that can be contracted and expanded to produce bodily movements
  2. the tissue making up such an organ
  3. muscular strength; brawn
  4. Informal power or influence, esp. when based on force or threats of force

Etymology: Fr < L musculus, a muscle, lit., little mouse (from the fancied resemblance between the movements of a mouse and muscle), dim. of mus, mouse

intransitive verb -·cled, -·cling

Informal to make one's way or take control by sheer strength or force, or threats of force: usually with in

transitive verb

  1. to move (something) by, or as by, muscular exertion
  2. to influence, pressure, etc. by force or threat of force

muscle Synonyms

muscle

n.

  1. fiber, flesh, protoplasm, meat, brawn, beef, beefcake, horseflesh; see also tissue 3.

    Types of muscle include: smooth, striated, skeletal, cardiac, voluntary, involuntary.

  2. Muscles of the human body include: frontal, temporal, zygomatic, masseter, trapezius, pectoral, deltoid, latissimus dorsi, biceps, brachial, triceps, abdominal, intercostal, serratus, oblique, gluteus maximus, sartorius, quadriceps, hamstring, gastrocnemius, soleus.

muscle Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • ache: I was feeling very tired again in training, with heavy, aching muscles.
  • relax: According to Dr. Bradley, I was supposed to relax every muscle in my body.
  • strengthen: Nicotine strengthens the muscle that keeps the bladder shut.
  • striate: The following sections will illustrate how Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ are involved in striated muscle 's structures and functions.

Adjective modifier

  • skeletal: Effect of swimming on reinnervation of rat skeletal muscle.
  • pelvic: Exercising your pelvic floor muscle is a great way to work your pelvic girdle.
  • abdominal: Breathe in deeply by allowing your abdominal muscles to expand outwards.
  • facial: The permanent muscle tone present in many facial muscles make the creases look like deep furrows.
  • smooth: Brain cells can give rise to all previous cells types including the peripheral nervous system and smooth muscle.

Modifies a noun

  • spasm: She came to us near death with muscle spasms from a tetanus infection in the surgical site.
  • relaxant: Baclofen is a skeletal muscle relaxant used for the relief of chronic muscle spasm or spasticity.
  • contraction: Calcium ions activate the system of sliding protein filaments which is responsible for muscle contraction.
  • fiber: The collateral sprouts to some muscle fibers will degenerate.
  • weakness: Rarely people can get: Muscle pain, muscle tenderness, muscle weakness.
  • glycogen: Restored muscle glycogen concentrations mean greater work capacity in your next workout [ 9 ] .

Noun used with modifier

  • calf: An estimation of the bulk of the calf muscle was made using a tape measure.
  • quadriceps: Another cause is a weakness in the quadriceps muscles alone.
  • thigh: Squeeze the left thigh muscles to force blood from branches of the iliac artery up the main vessel.
  • extensor: For measuring explosive power & efficiency in the lower limb extensor muscles.
  • fast-twitch: The perfect Olympic sprinter has legs bursting with fast-twitch muscle fibers that work without much oxygen.
muscle Quotes

I am proud that I am an Australian, a daughter of the Southern Cross, a child of the mighty bush. I am thankful I am a peasant, a part of the bone and muscle of my nation, and earn my bread by the sweat of my brow, as man was meant to do. I rejoice I was not born a parasite, one of the blood-suckers who loll on velvet and satin, crushed from the proceeds of human sweat and blood and souls.

—of Bin Bin

The difference between a fast bowler and a good fast bowler is not extra muscle but extra brains.

—Trueman, Fred (Frederick Sewards)

   Clear the air! clean the sky! wash the wind! take the stonefromthestone, taketheskinfromthearm, takethe muscle from bone, and wash them.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

Browse dictionary entries near muscle

  1. muscid
  2. muscatel
  3. Muscat and Oman
  4. muscat
  5. muscarine
  6. muscae volitantes
  7. muscadine
  8. Muscadet
  9. Musca
  10. MusB
  1. muscle-bound
  2. muscle car
  3. muscle sense
  4. muscle shirt
  5. musclehead
  6. muscleman
  7. muscly
  8. muscovado
  9. muscovite
  10. Muscovy