muscle-bound
Meaning
Having large, stiff, and poorly flexible muscles, typically as a result of excessive weight training.
(Figuratively) Rigid, inflexible, or lacking in adaptability, especially in thought or attitude.
Structure
Usage
He became so muscle-bound from weightlifting that he lost his agility on the basketball court.
The company's muscle-bound bureaucracy made it impossible to implement new ideas quickly.
Critics dismissed the actor's physique as overly muscle-bound and unnatural for the role.
Etymology
The term is a modern English compound, first appearing in the late 19th century. It literally describes a state where one's muscles are figuratively "tied up" or "bound," leading to stiffness and a lack of suppleness. The first element, "muscle," originates from the Latin musculus (little mouse), a diminutive of mus, due to the perceived resemblance of a flexing muscle to a mouse moving under the skin. The second element, "bound," derives from the Old English verb bindan, carrying the sense of being constrained or made fast. The word's logic perfectly captures the condition: overdeveloped muscles restrict free movement, and this physical sense was later extended metaphorically to describe rigid, unyielding attitudes or systems.
Analysis
- muscle: From Latin musculus (little mouse, muscle), via Old French. In this compound, it refers to the body tissue. - bound: From Old English bindan (to tie). In this compound, it functions as an adjective-forming element meaning "confined, restricted, or destined."