beef

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults. — Muscle or musculature; size, strength or potency.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Put some beef into it! We've got to get the car over the bump.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults. — Essence, content; the important part of a document or project.

Register: slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “beef” mean?

The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults. — Muscle or musculature; size, strength or potency.

Is “beef” formal or informal?

beef is generally slang.