Beef (?), n. [OE. boef, befe, beef, OF. boef, buef, F. bef, fr. L. bos, bovis, ox; akin to Gr. , Skr. g cow, and E. cow. See 2d Cow.]
1.
An animal of the genus Bos, especially the common species, B. 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 ().]
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.
© Webster 1913.
Beef (?), a.
Of, pertaining to, or resembling, beef.
Beef tea, essence of beef, or strong beef broth.
© Webster 1913.