Wiktionary

muscle

See also: musclé

English edit

 
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Etymology edit

From Middle English muscle, muscule, muskylle, and in part from Middle French muscle, from Latin mūsculus (“a muscle”, literally “little mouse”) because of the mouselike appearance of some muscles, from mūs (“mouse”). Doublet of mussel. More at mouse.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

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.
    Synonym: thew
    • 1701, Nehemiah Grew, “Of the Use of Organized Bodies”, in Cosmologia Sacra: Or A Discourse of the Universe as It is the Creature and Kingdom of God. […], London: […] W. Rogers, S. Smith, and B[enjamin] Walford: […], →OCLC, 1st book, paragraph 18, page 27:
      For as the Trunk of the Body, is kept from tilting forvvard by the Muſcules of the Back: So, from falling backvvard, by theſe of the Belly.
  2. (countable) An organ composed of muscle tissue.
  3. (uncountable, usually in the plural) A well-developed physique, in which the muscles are enlarged from exercise.
    • 2008, Lou Schuler, "Foreward", in Nate Green, Built for Show, page xii
      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.
  4. (uncountable, figurative) Strength, force.
    • 2010, Adam Quinn, US Foreign Policy in Context, page 81:
      The lesson to be drawn from the events of 1914, to Roosevelt's mind, was that civilization needed muscle to defend it, not just solemn words.
    • 2013, John D. MacDonald, The Long Lavender Look, page 15:
      It was going to take muscle to pluck Miss Agnes out of the canal.
    • 2022 January 12, Christian Wolmar, “A new year... but the same old mistakes are being made”, in RAIL, number 948, pages 40–41:
      How can the unions - or more specifically the RMT—possibly think this is a good time to exert a bit of industrial muscle and indulge in strikes both on the national railway and the London Underground?
  5. (uncountable, figurative) Hired strongmen or bodyguards.
    • 1985, Lance Parkin, The Infinity Doctors, page 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.

Alternative forms edit

Hyponyms edit

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

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Verb edit

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”, in 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.
    • 1990, Wayne Jancik, The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, →ISBN, page 236:
      Nothing the Nebraskans ever again recorded managed to muscle more than minimal attention.
    • 2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 112:
      "Here!" I passed out stacks of money. T.C. hadn't had time to batch it up, so some of it was just laying loose in money bags and I passed all that shit out to Rome while Pimp muscled Miss Lady around.

Derived terms edit

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Anagrams edit

Catalan edit

FWOTD – 26 July 2019

Etymology edit

Inherited from Latin musculus, doublet of múscul (“muscle”) and musclo (“mussel”).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

muscle m (plural muscles)

  1. shoulder
    Synonym: espatlla
    • 2000, Francesc Serés, Els ventres de la terra, Columna, page 41:
      Quan ens cansem ella recolza el cap al meu muscle.
      When we get tired, she rests her head on my shoulder.

Further reading edit

French edit

Etymology edit

Inherited from Middle French muscle, a borrowing from Latin mūsculus (“a muscle”, literally “little mouse”). See also the inherited doublet moule (“mussel, clam”).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

muscle m (plural muscles)

  1. muscle (contractile tissue, strength)

Derived terms edit

Verb edit

muscle

  1. inflection of muscler:
    1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
    2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading edit

Middle English edit

Etymology 1 edit

From Old English muscelle, from Late Latin mūscula (“mussel”). Reinforced by Old French mosle.

Alternative forms edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈmus(k)əl/, /ˈmus(k)lə/

Noun edit

muscle (plural muscles)

  1. mussel (bivalve)
  2. (rare) A sort of siege engine.
Descendants edit
  • English: mussel
  • Scots: mushle
References edit

Etymology 2 edit

From Middle French muscle, from Latin mūsculus (“muscle”).

Alternative forms edit

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈmusəl/, /ˈmuslə/, /ˈmuskiu̯l(ə)/

Noun edit

muscle (plural muscles)

  1. (anatomy) muscle
Descendants edit
References edit

Middle French edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Latin musculus.

Noun edit

muscle m (plural muscles)

  1. (anatomy) muscle

Descendants edit

Norman edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Latin mūsculus (“a muscle”, literally “little mouse”), from Ancient Greek μῦς (mûs, “mouse, muscle, mussel”).

Noun edit

muscle m (plural muscles)

  1. (anatomy) muscle

Occitan edit

Etymology edit

From Latin mūsculus.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

muscle m (plural muscles)

  1. muscle
  2. mussel

Further reading edit

  • Joan de Cantalausa (2006) Diccionari general occitan a partir dels parlars lengadocians‎[1], 2 edition, →ISBN, page 667.

Old English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Late Latin mūscula, from Latin mūsculus.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

muscle f

  1. mussel

Declension edit

Declension of muscle (weak)
Case Singular Plural
nominative muscle musclan
accusative musclan musclan
genitive musclan musclena
dative musclan musclum

Descendants edit

References edit

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