9 entries found for muscle.
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muscle[1,noun] muscle[2,verb] involuntary muscle muscle-bound muscle spindle pectoral muscle smooth muscle striated muscle voluntary muscle

Main Entry: ¹mus·cle
Pronunciation: ms-l
Function: noun
Etymology: from Latin musculus "muscle, little mouse," from mus "mouse"
1 a : a body tissue consisting of long cells that can contract and produce motion b : an organ that is a mass of muscle tissue attached at either end to a fixed point (as to bones) and that by contracting moves or stops the movement of a body part
2 a : muscular strength : BRAWN b : ¹POWER 2 <lacks the muscle to make good on campaign promises>
Word History People today are perhaps unlikely to think of their muscles as resembling mice. The ancient Romans, however, saw a likeness, especially in the major muscles of the arms and legs. For that reason the Latin word musculus, which originally meant "little mouse," came to be used to mean "muscle."

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