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Synonyms

meat

American  
[meet] / mit /

noun

  1. the flesh of animals as used for food: in particular, mammals, especially livestock and game, and often including poultry and game birds.

  2. the edible part of anything, as a fruit or nut.

    Crack the walnuts and remove the meats.

  3. the essential point or part of an argument, literary work, etc.; gist; crux.

    The meat of the play is the jealousy between the two brothers.

  4. solid food.

    meat and drink.

  5. solid or substantial content; pith.

    The article was full of meat, with few wasted words.

  6. a favorite occupation, activity, etc..

    Chess is his meat.

  7. Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. pork, especially bacon.

  8. Slang: Vulgar. penis.

  9. Archaic. the principal meal.

    to say grace before meat.

idioms

  1. piece of meat,

    1. a person regarded merely as a sex object.

      Years after winning a beauty pageant, she denounced the competition, saying she’d been crowned the judges’ favorite piece of meat.

    2. a person, as a prizefighter or laborer, regarded merely as a strong or useful physical specimen.

      The trainer never apologized for referring to his boxers as pieces of meat—if you made it to the top, he’d start calling you “Kid.”
meat British  
/ miːt /

noun

  1. the flesh of mammals used as food, as distinguished from that of birds and fish

  2. anything edible, esp flesh with the texture of meat

    crab meat

  3. food, as opposed to drink

  4. the essence or gist

  5. an archaic word for meal 1

  6. a source of pleasure

  7. informal to lose nothing because one's offer is not accepted

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
meat More Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing meat

Other Word Forms

  • meatless adjective

Etymology

Origin of meat

First recorded before 900; Middle English mete, met, methe “food, nourishment, sustenance,” Old English mete, mett, “food,” cognate with Old High German maz, Old Norse matr, Gothic mats

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

James remembers the shop used to give sweeties to children as they waited with their parents for meat - now those children are the adults, bringing their own families in.

From BBC

Methionine and cysteine are found in high amounts in animal based proteins such as meat, eggs, and dairy.

From Science Daily

After I pointed out that, ahem, bolognese is meat, she directed me to Instagram dietitians for advice about protein intake.

From The Wall Street Journal

Haywood said she has seen more working people use the community facility to buy essential items such as fruit, vegetables, bread and meat.

From BBC

Pickie was kept on a strict diet—no meats, sweets, or sauces.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.