Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Plural of beef.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun plural of beef, the animal.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Plural form of beef: cows, bulls, or steers.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • "Signorina, the beeves are a present from Florence the beautiful Would ye look a gift beef i 'the nose?"

    The Cloister and the Hearth Charles Reade 1849

  • It is curious that beef does not appear to have survived, though Leboeuf is common in French, and bullocks are still called "beeves" in Scotland.

    The Romance of Names Ernest Weekley 1909

  • Spread out before her were several open stock books, from which she was endeavoring to estimate the probable number of "beeves" which the early spring would produce.

    The Story of the Foss River Ranch Ridgwell Cullum 1905

  • Eve, 1538, speaks of his winter stock of "beeves" and muttons as a thing of course.

    The Reign of Henry the Eighth, Volume 1 (of 3) James Anthony Froude 1856

  • They used to use a sledgehammer for beeves and pigs, but you'd have to swing hard and not miss!

    Georgia Man In Boxers Kills Buck With A Stick 2009

  • They used to use a sledgehammer for beeves and pigs, but you'd have to swing hard and not miss!

    Georgia Man In Boxers Kills Buck With A Stick 2009

  • While staying at a Cheyenne village, he was told that white soldiers were coming to a great powwow and bringing beeves, sugar, and coffee.

    EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOON S. C. Gwynne 2010

  • In winter, more Comanches would arrive to camp on the reservation and to claim beeves and other food and annuity goods.

    EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOON S. C. Gwynne 2010

  • Having brought with me over the mountains a few head of beef cattle for the hungry Indians, without thinking of running any great personal risk I had six beeves killed some little distance from my camp, guarding the meat with four Soldiers, whom I was obliged to post as sentinels around the small area on which the carcasses lay.

    She Makes Her Mouth Small & Round & Other Stories 2010

  • You keep order and behave yourself and I will give you two beeves every other day until you find out where the buffaloes are.

    EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOON S. C. Gwynne 2010

Comments

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  • Usage: Valley Spirit (Va.), May 25, 1861:

    The Spirit notes that George Law has received a contract from the government to supply the army with "twenty thousand beeves at eight cents per pound, live weight." The contractors will realize a profit of $600,000. The paper complains that "A few individuals are making princely fortunes at the expense of the tax-payers of the country."

    July 30, 2008

  • I always thought this sounded much more elegant than "beefs."

    July 31, 2008

  • It sounds very European.

    July 31, 2008

  • Hang on, I'll go ask Jeefs.

    July 31, 2008

  • Haha!

    July 31, 2008

  • The picnic and barbecue were to be held around the spring where Broderson Creek took its rise. Already two entire beeves were roasting there...

    - Frank Norris, The Octopus, bk 2, ch. 5

    August 29, 2008

  • This is a word used to name a group of beef cattle. I know this because this word was featured in the board game Balderdash.

    December 28, 2008