[meat] n [ME mete, fr. OE; akin to OHG maz food] (bef. 12c) 1 a: food; esp: solid food as distinguished from drink b: the edible part of something as distinguished from its covering (as a husk or shell)
2: animal tissue considered esp. as food: a: flesh 2b b: flesh 1a; specif: flesh of domesticated animals 3 archaic: [1]meal 1; esp: dinner
4. a: the core of something: heart b: pith 2b "a novel with ~"
5: favorite pursuit or interest -- meat.ed adj -- meat.less adj