Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

beefed up

 - 5 dictionary results

beefed-up

  [beeft-uhp]
Use beefed up in a Sentence
–adjective
strengthened or reinforced.
Origin:
1940–45

beef

  [beef] noun, plural beeves  [beevz] for 2; beefs for 4, verb
–noun
1. the flesh of a cow, steer, or bull raised and killed for its meat.
2. an adult cow, steer, or bull raised for its meat.
3. Informal.
a. brawn; muscular strength.
b. strength; power.
c. weight, as of a person.
d. human flesh.
4. Slang.
a. a complaint.
b. an argument or dispute.
–verb (used without object)
5. Slang. to complain; grumble.
—Verb phrase
6. beef up,
a. to add strength, numbers, force, etc., to; strengthen: During the riots, the nighttime patrol force was beefed up with volunteers.
b. to increase or add to: to beef up our fringe benefits.
Origin:
1250–1300; 1885–90 for def. 5; ME < AF beof, OF boef < L bov- (s. of bōs) ox, cow; akin to cow 1

Related forms:
beefless, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To beefed up
Slang Dictionary
beef

  1. n.
    a complaint; a quarrel. : I gotta beef against you.
  2. n.
    a criminal charge or complaint. : The beef is that you appear to have left the bank Monday with about seventy-five grand that isn't yours. That's the beef!
  3. n.
    a large and muscular male. : Let's get one of those beefs in here to help.
  4. in.
    to complain. : What's he beefing about now?
  5. in.
    to break wind; to release intestinal gas audibly. (Usually objectionable.) : Willy warned everybody that he was going to beef.
  6. n.
    an act of breaking wind. (Usually objectionable.) : All right! Who's beef was that?
  7. in.
    to crack up and get injured as in a skateboard accident. : Chuck beefed and wrecked his elbow.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

beef 
c.1300, from O.Fr. boef, from L. bos (gen. bovis, acc. bovem) "ox, cow." Original plural was beeves. The verb meaning "to complain" is slang first recorded 1888. Beefy "brawny" is from 1743. Beefeater "warder of the Tower of London" (1671) is a contemptuous reference to well-fed servants of the royal household; the notion is of "eating another's beef" (cf. O.E. hlaf-æta "servant," lit. "loaf-eater"). To beef up "add strength" is from 1890.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: beef
Pronunciation: 'bEf
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural beefs /'bEfs/ or beeves /'bEvz/
: the flesh of an adult domestic bovine (as a steer or cow) when killed for food
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see beefed up on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way