1
- mass noun the flesh of a cow, bull, or ox, used as food牛肉。
1.1
- count noun（pl. beeves /biːvz/ 或〈美〉亦作beefs）Farming a cow, bull, or ox fattened for its meat【农】菜牛。
1.2
- informal flesh or muscle, especially when well developed〈非正式〉（尤指发达的）肌肉：
he needs a little more beef on his bones.
他太瘦了, 应该再长点肌肉。
1.3
- informal strength or power〈非正式〉气力, 力量：
he's been brought in to give the team more beef.
他被招来加强球队力量。
1.4
- informal the substance of a matter〈非正式〉要点, 实质, 关键：
it's more a sketch than a policy - where's the beef?
这与其说是政策, 还不如说是草案——问题的关键在哪儿？
2
- (pl. beefs) informal a complaint or grievance〈非正式〉牢骚, 怨恨：
the beef about the warehouse was that it was too big.
对仓库的牢骚是嫌它太大了。
3
- US informal a criminal charge〈美, 非正式〉犯罪指控; 罪名：
getting caught with pot in the sixties was a narco beef.
在60年代吸食大麻被逮到就可以被控以吸毒罪。
no obj.
- informal complain〈非正式〉抱怨, 发牢骚：
he was beefing about how the recession was killing the business.
他抱怨经济衰退如何坏了他的生意。
词源
Middle English: from Old French boef, from Latin bos， bov-'ox'.
短语动词
beef something up
- informal give more substance or strength to something〈非正式〉充实, 加强：
cost-cutting measures are planned to beef up performance.
为了提高绩效, 正在计划降低成本。