GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

last match results

Found 2 definitions

1.       
   Beef , n. [OE. boef, befe, beef, OF. boef, buef, F. bœef, fr. L. bos, bovis, ox; akin to Gr. βοῦς, Skr. gō cow, and E. cow. See 2d Cow.]
   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.  [In this, which is the original sense, the word has a plural, beeves .]
   1913 Webster
   A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine.
   Milton.
   
   1913 Webster
   The flesh of an ox, or cow, or of any adult bovine animal, when slaughtered for food.  [In this sense, the word has no plural.] “Great meals of beef.”  
   Shak.
   
   1913 Webster
   Applied colloquially to human flesh.
   1913 Webster
         
       

2.       
   Beef , a. Of, pertaining to, or resembling, beef.
   1913 Webster
   Beef tea, essence of beef, or strong beef broth.
   1913 Webster