I. ˈbrȯn noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French braon fleshy part, muscle, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English brǣd flesh, Old Saxon brādo ham, calf of the leg, Old High German brāto meat without waste, Old Norse brāth meat
1.
a. : full strong muscles especially of the arm or leg
b. : a protuberant muscular part (as on the arm, buttock, or calf)
c.
(1) : well-developed or powerful-appearing muscles
a youngster with a good build and fine brawn
(2) : muscular strength
their job — loading and unloading cargo — calls for brawn — New York Times
brains against brawn
d. obsolete : thickened or calloused skin
2. dialect Britain : boar
3.
a. obsolete : animal flesh used as food
b. Britain : flesh of a boar : pork
c. : a product made from chopped, cooked, and molded edible parts of pig's head, feet, legs, and sometimes tongue
4. : manpower
the West Indian Negro contributed about 60 percent of the brawn required to build the Panama canal — F.J.Haskin
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. obsolete : to make brawny
2. Britain : to fatten (a pig) for slaughter