body

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun The entire material or physical structure of an organism, especially of a human or animal.
• noun The physical aspect of a person as opposed to the spirit; the flesh.
• noun A corpse or carcass.
• noun The trunk or torso of a human or animal.
• noun The part of a garment covering the torso.
• noun A human; a person.
• noun A group of individuals regarded as an entity; a corporation.
• noun A number of persons, concepts, or things regarded as a group.
• noun The main or central part, as.
• noun Anatomy The largest or principal part of an organ; corpus.
• noun The nave of a church.
• noun The content of a book or document exclusive of prefatory matter, codicils, indexes, or appendices.
• noun The passenger- and cargo-carrying part of an aircraft, ship, or other vehicle.
• noun Music The sound box of an instrument.
• noun A mass of matter that is distinct from other masses.
• noun A collection or quantity, as of material or information.
• noun Consistency of substance, as in paint, textiles, or wine.
• noun Printing The part of a block of type underlying the impression surface.
• transitive verb To furnish with a body.
• transitive verb To give shape to. Usually used with forth:
• transitive verb To play defense with one's body up against (that of another player) so as to restrict the player's mobility, as in basketball.
• transitive verb To collide with and force (another player) in a certain direction.
• idiom (take the body) To play in a rough physical way, dealing out many body checks, as in hockey.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun The physical structure of an animal; the material organized substance of an animal, whether living or dead, in distinction from the soul, spirit, or vital principle.
• noun The main portion of an animal, tree, etc.; the trunk, as distinct from the head and limbs or branches; in ichthyology, often used for the whole fish exclusive of the fins.
• noun The part of a dress which covers the body, as distinct from the parts which cover the arms or extremities; in female dress, a bodice; a waist.
• noun The main, central, or principal part of anything, as of an army, country, building, etc., as distinguished from subordinate or less important parts.
• noun Specifically— In a blast-furnace, the core or main portion between the top, or opening at the throat, and the boshes.
• noun In music: The whole of the hollow part of a string-instrument, designed to increase its resonance.
• noun All that part of a wind-instrument that remains after removing its appendages, mouthpiece, crooks, and bell.
• noun The higher resonant part of an organ-pipe, above the reed or the mouth, which causes the air to vibrate.
• noun The shank of a type, as determining its size: as, minion on nonpareil body.
• noun The main part of a tool; the main part of a blade, as of a sword, as distinguished from the heel and point, etc.
• noun That part of a wagon, railroad-car, etc., which contains the load.
• noun The main portion; the bulk of anything; the larger part; the majority: as, the body of the people are opposed to the measure.
• noun The person; an individual as recognized by law: as, body execution; held in body and goods.
• noun A person; a human being: now generally combined with any, every, some, or no: as, somebody, nobody.
• noun A number of individuals spoken of collectively, usually associated for a common purpose, joined in a certain cause, or united by some common tie or occupation; an incorporated or other aggregate: as, a legislative body; the body of the clergy; a body corporate.
• noun A material thing; anything having inertia. See matter.
• noun In geometry, any solid having the three dimensions, length, breadth, and thickness.
• noun A united mass; a number of things or particulars taken together; a general collection; a code; a system: as, a body of laws.
• noun A certain consistency or density; substance; strength, as opposed to thinness, weakness, transparency, or flimsiness: as, wine, paper, etc., of good body. As applied to paints, body denotes opacity or density, as opposed to transparency.
• noun In music, the resonance of a tone, whether instrumental or vocal.
• noun The space inclosed within the interior works of a fortification.
• To provide with a body; embody.
• To form into a body or company.