[syn: gripe, bitch, grouse, crab, beef, squawk, bellyache, holler]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Beef \Beef\ (b[=e]f), n. [OE. boef, befe, beef, OF. boef, buef,
F. b[oe]ef, fr. L. bos, bovis, ox; akin to Gr. boy^s, Skr.
g[=o] cow, and E. cow. See 2d Cow.]
1. An animal of the genus Bos, especially the common
species, Bos taurus, including the bull, cow, and ox, in
their full grown state; esp., an ox or cow fattened for
food.
Note: [In this, which is the original sense, the word has a
plural, beeves (b[=e]vz).]
[1913 Webster]
A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine.
--Milton.
[1913 Webster]
2. The flesh of an ox, or cow, or of any adult bovine animal,
when slaughtered for food.
Note: [In this sense, the word has no plural.] "Great meals
of beef." --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
3. Applied colloquially to human flesh.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Beef \Beef\ (b[=e]f), a.
Of, pertaining to, or resembling, beef.
[1913 Webster]
Beef tea, essence of beef, or strong beef broth.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
beef
n 1: cattle that are reared for their meat [syn: beef, beef
cattle]
2: meat from an adult domestic bovine [syn: beef, boeuf]
3: informal terms for objecting; "I have a gripe about the
service here" [syn: gripe, kick, beef, bitch,
squawk]
v 1: complain; "What was he hollering about?" [syn: gripe,
bitch, grouse, crab, beef, squawk, bellyache,
holler]