muscles

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of muscle.

   The athlete stretched her muscles carefully before the race.

   Cold weather can leave the muscles stiff and slow to respond.

   Note

   The plural belongs only to the countable meanings. It names individual organs (stiff muscles, sore muscles) and the built-up physique, which is normally plural: he shows off his muscles. Muscle as a tissue stays uncountable, and so do the figurative uses. A company flexes its muscle and a gang brings in the muscle, never muscles. The same spelling also serves the verb's present tense.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of muscle.

   The new manager muscles his rivals out of every important meeting.

   A bigger company often muscles smaller competitors out of the market.

   Note

   A present-tense form with two patterns behind it. Used transitively, it takes an object and usually a direction: someone muscles a rival out, or muscles a crate up a ramp. Used intransitively, the subject itself moves by force, as when a runner muscles through the crowd. Either way the -s marks a single third-person subject. With I, you or they the form is plain muscle.

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