brawn
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
physical strength and large muscles, especially when compared to intelligence.
physical strength and muscularity, often used in the idiomatic contrast 'brawn versus brains'.
Simple“The job required more brawn than brains, as I spent all day lifting heavy boxes.”
In context“While he possessed the brawn necessary for manual labour, he lacked the strategic insight required for a management position.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
a cold meat dish made from the head of a pig or calf, served in jelly.
a terrine or meat jelly made from the flesh of the head of a pig or calf.
Simple“My grandfather always served sliced brawn with mustard during Sunday lunch.”
In context“The traditional butcher's shop was famous for its homemade brawn, prepared according to a century-old regional recipe.”
Synonymshead cheese - 03 C2 Proficiency
an old word for a male pig or boar.
a male pig or boar; this usage is restricted to specific regional dialects or historical contexts.
Simple“The old farmer referred to the large male pig as a brawn.”
In context“In the local dialect of the valley, a mature boar was still occasionally called a brawn by the elder residents.”
Synonyms
“But again, that's no substitute for the brawn and water brought by troops on the ground.”
From Middle English brawne, from Old French braon (“slice of meat, fleshy part, buttock”), from Frankish brādon, brādan, accusative form of brādō (“roasted meat, ham”), from Proto-Germanic brēdô (“meat, roast”), of uncertain further origin, but possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰreh₁- (“to burn, heat”). Akin to Old High German brāto (“tender meat”) (German Braten (“roast”)), Old English brǣde, brǣd (“flesh, meat”), Old Norse bráð (“raw meat”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.