Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Beef
Beef
(bēf)
, Noun.
[OE.
boef
, befe
, beef
, OF. boef
, buef
, F. bœef
, fr. L. bos
, bovis
, ox; akin to Gr. βοῦς
, Skr. gō
cow, and E. cow
. See 2d Cow
.] 1.
An animal of the genus
Bos
, especially the common species, Bos taurus
, including the bull, cow, and ox, in their full grown state; esp., an ox or cow fattened for food. [In this, which is the original sense, the word has a plural, beeves
(bēvz)
.] A herd of
beeves
, fair oxen and fair kine. Milton.
2.
The flesh of an ox, or cow, or of any adult bovine animal, when slaughtered for food.
[In this sense, the word has no plural.]
“Great meals of beef.” Shak.
3.
Applied colloquially to human flesh.
Beef
(bēf)
, Adj.
Of, pertaining to, or resembling, beef.
Beef tea
, essence of beef, or strong beef broth.
Webster 1828 Edition
Beef
BEEF
,Noun.
1.
An animal of the bovine genus,whether ox, bull or cow; but used of those which are full grown or nearly so. In this, which is the original sense, the word has a plural, beeves.2.
The flesh of an ox, bull, or cow, when killed. In popular language, the word is often applied to the live animal; as, an ox is good beef; that is,is well fattened. In this sense,the word has no plural.BEEF
,Adj.