muscles

Noun

muscle (countable and uncountable, plural muscles)

1. (uncountable) A contractile form of tissue which animals use to effect movement.
   • Muscle consists largely of actin and myosin filaments.

   Synonyms:

   thew

2. (countable) An organ composed of muscle tissue.
   • His brow and hair and the palms of his hands were wet, and there was a kind of nervous contraction of his muscles. They seemed to ripple and string tense.1912 January, Zane Grey, chapter VIII, in Riders of the Purple Sage […], New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC
3. (plural-normally) A well-developed physique, in which the muscles are enlarged from exercise.
   • The fact that I was middle-aged, bald, married, and raising girls instead of chasing them didn't really bother me. Muscles are cool at any age.2008, Lou Schuler, "Foreward", in Nate Green, Built for Show, page xii
4. (figuratively, uncountable) Strength, force.
   • The widely-backed campaign to recall Evan Mecham as governor of Arizona gained even more muscle when the state House of Representatives voted to impeach the ultraconservative on February 5.1988 February 14, Elizabeth Pincus, “Arizona Impeaches Right-Wing Governor”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 30, page 1
5. (figuratively, uncountable) Hired strongmen or bodyguards.
   • 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.1985, Lance Parkin, The Infinity Doctors, page 34

See all 7 meanings of muscle