MUSCLE • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Muscle

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/mˈəsəl/ Listen

noun

Muscle n.

(Anat.)

(a)

An organ which, by its contraction, produces motion.

(b)

The contractile tissue of which muscles are largely made up. Note: Muscles are of two kinds, striated and nonstriated. The striated muscles, which, in most of the higher animals, constitute the principal part of the flesh, exclusive of the fat, are mostly under the control of the will, or voluntary, and are made up of great numbers of elongated fibres bound together into bundles and inclosed in a sheath of connective tissue, the perimysium. Each fiber is inclosed in a delicate membrane (the sarcolemma), is made up of alternate segments of lighter and darker material which give it a transversely striated appearance, and contains, scattered through its substance, protoplasmic nuclei, the so-called muscle corpuscles. The nonstriated muscles are involuntary. They constitute a large part of the walls of the alimentary canal, blood vessels, uterus, and bladder, and are found also in the iris, skin, etc. They are made up of greatly elongated cells, usually grouped in bundles or sheets.

Muscular strength or development; as, to show one's muscle by lifting a heavy weight. (Colloq.)

(Zool.) See Mussel.

An essential part of something; as, budget cuts have gone beyond the fat and are cutting into the muscle of the government.

Bodyguards or other persons hired to provide protection or commit violence; as, he doesn't go out without his muscle along. (slang)

Muscle curve (Physiol.), contraction curve of a muscle; a myogram; the curve inscribed, upon a prepared surface, by means of a myograph when acted upon by a contracting muscle. The character of the curve represents the extent of the contraction.

verb

muscle v. t.

To compel by threat of force; as, they muscled the shopkeeper into paying protection money.

To moved by human force; as, to muscle the piano onto the truck.

See images of 'Muscle'

Etymology of 'Muscle'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Muscle" Quotes from Famous Books

... with this demand. He determined to depart on the afternoon of the 30th of June. He had nothing more to do but to take leave of his friends and family. He did this with cold, tearless composure, with an immovable, iron countenance; no muscle of his face quivered, and his ...

— Queen Hortense - A Life Picture of the Napoleonic Era • L. Muhlbach

... since the close of "George Washington's Rebellion." Watt had watched his mother's teakettle to a good purpose. Here were two big things destined to revolutionize trade: the use of cotton in place of flax or wool, and steam-power instead of human muscle. Robert Owen resigned his clerkship and invested all of his earnings in three mule spinning-machines. Then he ...

— Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great, Volume 11 (of 14) - Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Businessmen • Elbert Hubbard

... five out of the nine men fired: Murat remained standing. The soldiers had been ashamed to fire on their king, and had aimed over his head. That moment perhaps displayed most gloriously the lionlike courage which was Murat's special attribute. His face never changed, he did not move a muscle; only gazing at the soldiers with an expression of mingled bitterness and gratitude, ...

— Celebrated Crimes, Complete • Alexandre Dumas, Pere

... his own head? Must he?—but the query went no further. The angel with the flaming sword came back to guard the gates of thought, and conscience still was king. He would do all that lay in his human power, with every moment and every muscle that he had, to fulfil the stern command of duty, and then if he should fail, it would be with no shame in his heart, ...

— Burnham Breaker • Homer Greene

... rehearsals, you will gain not only familiarity with the process and methods, but you will also gain real power and strength by the exercise of your psychic faculties which have heretofore lain dormant. Just as you may develop the muscle of your arm by calisthenic exercises, until it is able to perform real muscular work of strength; so you may develop your psychic faculties in this rehearsal work, so that you will be strongly equipped and armed for an actual psychic conflict, besides having learned how ...

— Clairvoyance and Occult Powers • Swami Panchadasi

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