beef

noun

1. (uncountable)The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults.

   “I love eating beef.”

   “He was cooking beef for lunch.”

   “But the cars & trucks held cartons of roast chickens, slabs of cheeses, loaves of bread, racks of hotdogs, case upon case of soft drinks, cases of bottled sparkling water, pies, cakes, roast beefs & baked hams.”

2. (countable, uncountable)The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults.

   “lean finely textured beef”

   “boneless lean beef trimmings”

   “McDonald’s has been vocal about adding more chicken to its menu, which is generally cheaper than beef. CEO Chris Kempczinski said in its most recent earnings call that it’s focused on adding “growth drivers like chicken” in an attempt to reverse slumping sales. Chicken is now on par with beef sales at its restaurants, he added.”

3. (broadly, slang, uncountable)The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults.

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

   “We've got to get some beef into the enforcement provisions of that law.”

4. (figuratively, slang, uncountable)The meat from cattle or other bovines; especially, that from adults.

   “The beef of his paper was a long rant about government.”

5. (uncountable)Bovine animals.

   “However, there were millions of head of beef roaming the plains of Texas.”

6. (Canada, US, countable, uncommon)A bovine (cow or bull) being raised for its meat.

   “Do you want to raise beeves?”

   “Howbeit, that country bringeth forth certain kinds of goodly great wild bœufes: to wit, the Biſontes, mained with a collar, like Lions: and the Vri, a mightie ſtrong beaſt, and a ſwift: which the ignorant people call Buffles, whereas indeed the Buffle is bred in Affrica, and carieth ſome reſemblance of a calfe rather, or a ſtag.”

   “As when two lions in the ſtill dark night / An herd of beeves ſcatter or num'rous flock / Suddenly, in the abſence of the guard, / So fled the heartleſs Greeks, […]”

   “263. If he [one to whom a beef or sheep is loaned] ruins the beef or sheep that was loaned him, he is to return to the owner a beef for a beef and a sheep for a sheep.”

   “Cutting out a Beef for branding”

7. (countable, slang, uncountable)A grudge; dislike (of something or someone); lack of faith or trust (in something or someone); a reason for a dislike or grudge. (often + with)

   “He's got beef over what you said.”

   “He's got a beef with everyone in the room.”

   “Remember what happened last fall? That's his beef with me.”

   “All I got is beef with those that violate me / I shall annihilate thee”

8. (countable, slang, uncountable)A criminal charge.

   “I'm in prison for attempting to kill two police officers (a genuine bum beef) and am alleged to be a part of a group of mad bombers.”

   “The man most recently murdered is said to have been a key defense witness in the trial of two other Indians facing hanging beefs for their alleged killing of a guard.”

9. (countable, uncountable)Fibrous calcite or limestone, especially when occurring in a jagged layer between shales in Dorset.

   “Clays, shales, sands, red and green marls, and alum shale, with occasional layers of "beef" (fibrous carbonate of lime) […] Chief "Beef" Beds, Dark (alum) shales with "beef" and selenite, beds of limestone, and layers of perished shells. Cyrena and Cyrides. Corbula Beds. Layers of shelly limestone, shale, alum shale, and marl, with "beef" and selenite.”

   “Medium-grey paper shales with beef.”

   “[…] beds of limestone and thin layers of 'beef' (fibrous calcite)[…]”

verb

1. (intransitive, slang)To complain.

   ““Don't you like the Red Room?” “The Red Room!” I gathered from his manner that he had not come to beef about his sleeping accommodation.”

   “"Who's Precious?" she beefed when she saw the big tattoo running down my inner arm.”

2. (slang, transitive)To add weight or strength to.

   “First off, the axle housing was beefed by welding areas where extreme loading is evident (black marked areas).”

3. (intransitive, slang)To fart; break wind.

   “Ugh, who just beefed in here?”

4. (Yorkshire, intransitive)To cry.

   “David was beefing last night after Ruth told him off.”

5. (slang, transitive)To fail or mess up.

   “I beefed my presentation hard yesterday.”

6. (Multicultural-London-English, intransitive, slang)To feud or hold a grudge against.

   “Those two are beefing right now — best you stay out of it.”

7. (Australia, intransitive, slang)To sing or speak loudly; to cry out.

adj

1. (not-comparable)Being a bovine animal that is being raised for its meat.

   “We bought three beef calves this morning.”

2. (not-comparable)Producing or known for raising lots of beef.

   “beef farms”

   “beef country”

3. (not-comparable)Consisting of or containing beef as an ingredient.

   “beef stew”

4. (not-comparable, slang)Beefy; powerful; robust.

   “Wow, your audio setup is beef!”