body

 
Pronunciation: /ˈbɒdi/

noun (plural bodies)

  • 1the physical structure, including the bones, flesh, and organs, of a person or an animal: it’s important to keep your body in good condition
  • the trunk apart from the head and the limbs: the blow almost severed his head from his body
  • a corpse: they found his body washed up on the beach
  • [mass noun] the physical and mortal aspect of a person as opposed to the soul or spirit: we’re together in body and spirit
  • informal a person’s body regarded as an object of sexual desire: he was just after her body
  • informal, dated a person of a specified type: a motherly body
  • 2 (the body of) the main or central part of something, especially a building or text: the main body of the house was built in 1625
  • the main section of a motor vehicle or aircraft: the body of the aircraft was filled with smoke
  • 3a large amount or collection of something: a rich body of Canadian folklore large bodies of seawater
  • 4an organized group of people with a common purpose or function: a regulatory body international bodies of experts
  • 5 [often with adjective] technical a material object: the path taken by the falling body
  • 6 [mass noun] a full or substantial quality of flavour in wine: best of all, this wine has body and finish
  • fullness or thickness of a person’s hair: restructuring formulations help to add body
  • 7British a woman’s close-fitting stretch garment for the upper body, fastening at the crotch.
  • 8(in pottery) a clay used for making the main part of ceramic ware, as distinct from a glaze.

verb (bodies, bodying, bodied)

[with object]
  • 1 (body something forth) formal give material form to something abstract: he bodied forth the traditional Prussian remedy for all ills
  • 2build the bodywork of (a motor vehicle): an era when automobiles were bodied over wooden frames

Phrases

body and soul

involving every aspect of a person; completely: the company owned them body and soul

in a body

all together; as a group: they departed in a body

keep body and soul together

stay alive, especially in difficult circumstances: do you think a man can keep body and soul together by selling coconuts?

over my dead body

informal used to emphasize that one completely opposes something: she moves into our home over my dead body

Derivatives

bodied

adjective
[in combination]: a wide-bodied jet

Origin:

Old English bodig, of unknown origin