muscle (redirected from muscly)

muscle someone out of something and muscle someone out

to force someone out of something; to push someone out of something. (Can be physical or by coercion.) Are you trying to muscle me out of my job? The younger people are muscling out the older ones.

See also: out

muscle in (on someone or something)

to try forcefully to displace someone or take over someone's property, interests, or relationships. Are you trying to muscle in on my scheme? If you try to muscle in, you'll be facing big trouble.

not move a muscle

to remain perfectly motionless. Be quiet. Sit there and don't move a muscle. I was so tired I couldn't move a muscle.

See also: move

pull a muscle

to strain a muscle and suffer the attendant pain. I pulled a muscle in my back and can't play golf today.

See also: pull

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not move a muscle

to stay completely still She sat without moving a muscle as the nurse injected the anaesthetic.

See Move arse!, move up a gear, move in for the kill, change up with the times, come down in the world

See also: move

flex your muscles

if a person or an organization flexes their muscles, they take some action to let people know how powerful they are The latest bomb scare was just the terrorists flexing their muscles - showing us they haven't gone away.

See also: flex

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flex your/its muscles

to act in a way that shows power or strength This very poor nation is beginning to flex its muscles as an important producer of coffee. Conservatives are flexing their muscles in local elections this fall.

See also: flex

flex your muscles

to use or increase your influence or power He was a very successful movie actor, but he's decided to flex his muscles on the stage for a while.

Usage notes: sometimes used with an adjective to show a particular kind of influence or power: The attorney general is flexing his legal muscles to enforce gun control laws.

Etymology: from the literal meaning of flex your muscles (to tighten your muscles)

See also: flex

muscle in on something

to force a way into someone's business or other relationships in order to control them Russell was the governor's closest friend, and he didn't like it when someone tried to muscle in on that relationship. These people pretended to be my friends, but they just wanted to muscle in on my life.