beer muscles

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beer muscles pl (plural only)

1. (idiomatic) An aggressive attitude resulting from consumption of an alcoholic beverage.
   • 1979 July 14, “Letters: Summing Up Summerfest and Planning Ahead”, in Milwaukee Journal, retrieved 3 Jan. 2010, page 10:

     Many people, especially after a few beers, grow “beer muscles” and are ready to fight for any reason.

   • 1999 June 18, Phil Mushnick, “In-Arena Shows Are Big Turnoff”, in New York Post, page 94:

     The show has become a come-on for drunks to flex their beer muscles.

   • 2009 July 3, Andrew W. Lehren, Christine Hauser, “In New York City, Fewer Murders on Rainy Days”, in New York Times, retrieved 3 Jan. 2010:

     “Everybody's out partying, people start drinking, old beefs pop up, and people get their beer muscles out and start fighting.”

2. (idiomatic, humorous) A protruding stomach, supposedly indicative of excessive consumption of beer.
   • 1939, American Flint, volume 28, page 41:

     Grothers Gribble, Berger, Wolf, Shadwill and the writer are still nursing their “beer muscles.” I mean German goitres.

   • 1982 September 2, “Brewing firms says small is better”, in Milwaukee Sentinel, retrieved 3 Jan. 2010:

     “You can't find a better-tasting beer,” said Farmer Cheatle, a resident who was losing a battle to hold in a bulging belly he called “beer muscles”.

   • 1990, John Harvey, The Legend of Captain Space‎, →ISBN, page 33:

     Nick made legs of his fingers and walked them on the baby's belly. . . . “[L]ook at those beer muscles!”

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see beer,‎ muscles.

• (aggressive attitude): bravado
• (paunch attributed to beer): beer baby, beer belly, beer gut, German goiter, Molson muscle