muscle

• n. 肌肉；力量
• vt. 加强；使劲搬动；使劲挤出
• vi. 使劲行进

来自拉丁语musculus,小老鼠，肌肉，来自mus,老鼠，词源同mouse,-cul,小词后缀。因古人认为鼓起的肌肉形如跳跃的小老鼠而得名。

muscle

muscle: [16] Ultimately, muscle and mussel [OE] are the same word, and both owe their origin to a supposed resemblance to a mouse. They go back to Latin mūsculus, literally ‘little mouse’, a diminutive form of mūs ‘mouse’, which was applied to the shellfish because of a similarity in shape and colour, and to ‘muscle’ because the shape and movement of certain muscles beneath the skin, such as the biceps, reminded people of a mouse.

Latin mūsculus ‘mussel’ was borrowed into Old English as muscle or muxle; the -ssspelling began to emerge in the 15th century, inspired by Middle Low German mussel (which came from *muscula, a Vulgar Latin feminization of Latin mūsculus and source of French moule ‘mussel’) and reinforced in the 16th century by the introduction via Old French of muscle for ‘muscle’.

The notion of resemblance to a mouse also lies behind English musk.
=> mouse, mussel

muscle (n.)

late 14c., from Middle French muscle "muscle, sinew" (14c.) and directly from Latin musculus "a muscle," literally "little mouse," diminutive of mus "mouse" (see mouse (n.)).

So called because the shape and movement of some muscles (notably biceps) were thought to resemble mice. The analogy was made in Greek, too, where mys is both "mouse" and "muscle," and its comb. form gives the medical prefix myo-. Compare also Old Church Slavonic mysi "mouse," mysica "arm;" German Maus "mouse; muscle," Arabic 'adalah "muscle," 'adal "field mouse." In Middle English, lacerte, from the Latin word for "lizard," also was used as a word for a muscle.

Musclez & lacertez bene one selfe þing, Bot þe muscle is said to þe fourme of mouse & lacert to þe fourme of a lizard. [Guy de Chauliac, "Grande Chirurgie," c. 1425]

Hence muscular and mousy are relatives, and a Middle English word for "muscular" was lacertous, "lizardy." Figurative sense of "force, violence, threat of violence" is 1930, American English. Muscle car "hot rod" is from 1969.

muscle (v.)

1913, "to accomplish by strength," from muscle (n.). Related: Muscled; muscling. To muscle in is 1929 in underworld slang.

1. Eisenhower used his muscle to persuade Congress to change the law.

艾森豪威尔用他的影响力说服国会修改了该项法律。

来自柯林斯例句

2. Dave pulled a back muscle and could barely kick the ball.

戴夫背部拉伤，几乎没法踢球。

来自柯林斯例句

3. This can lead to bodily weakness and muscle wastage.

这样可能会导致身体虚弱和肌肉萎缩。

来自柯林斯例句

4. They call rowing the perfect sport. It exercises every major muscle group.

他们称划船是最佳运动，它可以锻炼每一处主要肌肉群。

来自柯林斯例句

5. The body is made up primarily of bone, muscle, and fat.

人体主要是由骨骼、肌肉和脂肪构成。

来自柯林斯例句