brawn

[brawn] /brɔn/
noun
1.
strong, well-developed muscles.
2.
muscular strength.
3.
Chiefly British.
  1. a boar's or swine's flesh, especially when boiled and pickled.
  2. headcheese.
Origin
1275-1325; Middle English brawne < Old French braon slice of flesh (Provençal bradon) < Germanic; compare German Braten joint of meat, akin to Old English brǣd flesh
Synonyms
2. brawniness, robustness, muscle, sturdiness, might, power.
Examples from the web for brawn
  • The role of the pusher is defined by strength, brawn and athleticism.
  • Rechargeable batteries are the brawn behind the brains of today's portable electronic devices.
  • Real-time data is, of course, useless without the brains to process it and the brawn to act on it.
  • Finally, the prehistoric tarpon is a test of finesse versus brawn.
  • If exporting brawn generally makes sense for a poor country, sending its better brains away may not.
  • Some of these wimpy squid males apparently try brains instead of brawn.
  • In all, the phone's few shortcomings are eclipsed by its processing brawn and fleetness of foot.
  • brawn without brains can't accomplish much beyond wreaking glorious, mindless destruction.
  • They move from brains to brawn and it's not working.
  • The yachts require a degree of brawn as well as skillful tactics in getting around a course.
British Dictionary definitions for brawn

brawn

/brɔːn/
noun
1.
strong well-developed muscles
2.
physical strength, esp as opposed to intelligence
3.
(Brit) a seasoned jellied loaf made from the head and sometimes the feet of a pig or calf
Word Origin
C14: from Old French braon slice of meat, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German brāto, Old English brǣd flesh
Word Origin and History for brawn
n.

late 13c., from Old French braon "fleshy or muscular part, buttock," from Frankish *brado "ham, roast" or some other Germanic source, from Proto-Germanic *bred-on- (cf. Old High German brato "tender meat," German Braten "roast," Old Norse brað "raw meat," Old English bræd "flesh"), from PIE *bhre- "burn, heat," from root *bhreue- "to boil, bubble, effervesce, burn" (see brew (v.)). The original sense is "piece of meat suitable for roasting." "The specific sense 'boar's flesh' is exclusively of English development, and characteristic of English habits" [OED].