ETYM French, from Latin musculus a muscle, a little mouse, dim. of mus a mouse. Related to Mouse.
Contractile animal tissue that produces locomotion and power, and maintains the movement of body substances. Muscle is made of long cells that can contract to between one-half and one-third of their relaxed length.
Striped (or striated) muscles are activated by motor nerves under voluntary control; their ends are usually attached via tendons to bones.
Involuntary or smooth muscles are controlled by motor nerves of the autonomic nervous system, and are located in the gut, blood vessels, iris, and various ducts. Cardiac muscle occurs only in the heart, and is also controlled by the autonomic nervous system.
An artificial muscle fiber was developed in the us 1990. Besides replacing muscle fiber, it can be used for substitute ligaments and blood vessels and to prevent tissues sticking together after surgery (adhesion).
(Homonym: mussel).
1. Animal tissue consisting predominantly of contractile cells; SYN. muscular tissue.
2. One of the contractile organs of the body; SYN. musculus.

To make one's way by force: