muscle
gb/mˈʌsəl/ us/mˈʌsəl/
A2
English
~ 2300
izom, erő, fizikai erő, befolyás
NOUN
A2
1
izom
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] has [a/an] muscle in [a body part]
The biceps is a large muscle in the upper arm.
A bicepsz a felkar egyik nagy izma.
He injured a leg muscle while running.
Futás közben megsérült az egyik lábizma.
Muscles work in pairs to move your bones.
Regular exercise helps strengthen your muscles.
Learner examples
I hurt a muscle in my back.
Meghúztam egy izmot a hátamban.
He has strong arm muscles.
Erős karizmai vannak.
The heart is a special kind of muscle.
She wants to build more muscle.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'muscle' with 'mussel', which is a type of shellfish.
Meaning
Tissue that moves body parts
Collocations
build muscle
|muscle tissue
|muscle contraction
|muscle pain
|muscle strength
Synonyms
sinew (More literary or old-fashioned, less common in modern everyday use.)
Antonyms
fat (Refers to body tissue that stores energy rather than producing movement.)
Themes
biology
|health
|anatomy
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A part of the body made of strong fibers that can tighten and relax to help you move.
A type of body tissue made of fibers that can contract to produce movement or maintain the position of body parts.
NOUN
B1
2
erő
A1
fizikai erő
B1
Usage pattern:
use [someone's] muscle to [do something]
The company used its financial muscle to win the deal.
A vállalat a pénzügyi erejét felhasználva nyerte el az üzletet.
He doesn’t have the muscle to lift that box.
Nincs elég ereje, hogy felemelje azt a dobozt.
They showed some muscle in the final minutes of the game.
Learner examples
He has the muscle to carry this bag.
Van elég ereje, hogy elvigye ezt a táskát.
The team used their muscle to win.
A csapat az erejét kihasználva győzött.
She has no muscle after being sick.
Meaning
Physical strength or power
Collocations
flex muscle
|show muscle
|use muscle
|muscle power
Synonyms
strength (More general; can refer to physical, mental, or other types of strength.)
Antonyms
weakness (Lack of physical power or strength.)
Themes
sports
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The strength of your body, especially from your muscles.
Physical strength or power, especially when used to influence or achieve something.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
3
befolyás
B1
Usage pattern:
use [someone's] muscle in [a situation]
They used their political muscle to pass the law.
Politikai befolyásukat felhasználva fogadtatták el a törvényt.
The union flexed its muscle during negotiations.
A szakszervezet megmutatta az erejét a tárgyalások során.
Big companies have more financial muscle.
Learner examples
The boss has a lot of muscle in the company.
A főnöknek nagy befolyása van a cégnél.
They used their muscle to get what they want.
A befolyásukat használták fel, hogy megszerezzék, amit akarnak.
The group showed their muscle in the protest.
Meaning
Influence or control over others
Collocations
political muscle
|financial muscle
|flex muscle
Synonyms
clout (Informal; emphasizes social or political influence.)
Antonyms
powerlessness (Lack of ability to influence others.)
Themes
business
|politics
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Power to make people do what you want, often by using force or strong influence.
The ability to influence or control people or events, often through force, authority, or resources.
Grammar
Dictionary form
muscle
IPA
GB/mˈʌsəl/
US/mˈʌsəl/
Syllables & stress
muscle (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (muscle)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: muscle
- Plural: muscle, muscles
Word family
Forms
muscles
noun
Core family
muscular
adjective B1
Related words
muscly
adjective
Advanced or less common
musculature
noun
muscularity
noun
Expressions
muscle in on
2/mˈʌsəl ˈɪn ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
informal
Force into something uninvited
To get involved in something without being asked, often in a pushy way.
Examples
- He muscled in on their conversation.
- Big companies are muscling in on the small business market.
pull a muscle
1/pˈʊl ə mˈʌsəl/
fixed phrase
Injure a muscle by strain
To hurt a muscle by stretching it too much.
Examples
- I pulled a muscle in my back while lifting boxes.
- She pulled a leg muscle during the race.
with muscles like that
3/wˈɪθ mˈʌsəlz lˈaɪk ðˈæt/
fixed phrase
informal
Comment about large muscles
Used to say someone has very big or strong muscles.
Examples
- With muscles like that, he could be a bodybuilder.
- With muscles like that, she must work out every day.
flex your muscles
1/flˈɛks jˈʊɹ mˈʌsəlz/
idiom
informal
Show off power or strength
To show your strength or power to warn people or make them respect you.
Examples
- The army is flexing its muscles with a large military parade.
- The company flexed its muscles by lowering prices to beat competitors.
flex your muscles
2/flˈɛks jˈʊɹ mˈʌsəlz/
idiom
show or use your power
to use or show your power or strength in a clear way so that people can see what you can do
Examples
- The country is flexing its muscles with a series of military exercises.
- The new manager flexed her muscles by changing several key policies in her first week.
- Smaller creators are starting to flex their muscles on the platform.