strong meat: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal/Literary
Quick answer
What does “strong meat” mean?
An idiomatic expression referring to ideas, teachings, or content that are intellectually or spiritually advanced and challenging, often difficult for beginners to understand or accept.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An idiomatic expression referring to ideas, teachings, or content that are intellectually or spiritually advanced and challenging, often difficult for beginners to understand or accept.
Can metaphorically describe any material that is intense, heavy, or hard to digest, whether literally or figuratively.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal; the phrase is used similarly in both varieties, primarily in written or formal speech.
Connotations
Carries a sense of intellectual or spiritual depth and challenge; may evoke biblical references.
Frequency
Rare in everyday conversation; more common in theological or academic texts in both UK and US English.
Grammar
How to Use “strong meat” in a Sentence
NP be strong meat for NPfind NP strong meatregard NP as strong meatVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “strong meat” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They presented strong meat to the new apprentices.
American English
- She delivered strong meat in her advanced seminar.
adverb
British English
- He spoke strongly, but the content was meat for thought.
American English
- She explained the concept strongly, though it was meaty material.
adjective
British English
- His arguments were strong meat for the debate team.
American English
- The professor's lectures are strong meat for undergraduates.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; if applied, metaphorically for complex strategies or advanced training.
Academic
Used in theology, philosophy, or humanities to denote advanced or esoteric concepts.
Everyday
Seldom used; might appear in discussions about difficult books or lectures.
Technical
Not typically used in scientific or technical fields; more relevant in liberal arts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “strong meat”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “strong meat”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “strong meat”
- Using it in casual contexts where it sounds overly formal or archaic.
- Applying it only to physical food, missing the metaphorical usage in intellectual or spiritual domains.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a rare and formal idiom, mostly found in religious or academic contexts.
Primarily metaphorical, but it can humorously or literally describe heavy, hard-to-digest food in rare cases.
It originates from the Bible, specifically Hebrews 5:12, where it metaphorically refers to deep spiritual teachings.
Use it as a noun phrase to describe intellectually or spiritually challenging material, e.g., 'The lecture was strong meat for the audience.'
An idiomatic expression referring to ideas, teachings, or content that are intellectually or spiritually advanced and challenging, often difficult for beginners to understand or accept.
Strong meat is usually formal/literary in register.
Strong meat: in British English it is pronounced /strɒŋ miːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /strɔːŋ miːt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “strong meat”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine trying to eat tough, heavy meat—it's hard to digest, just like challenging ideas are hard to understand.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS ARE FOOD, where strong meat represents nourishing but difficult intellectual or spiritual sustenance.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'strong meat' typically imply in a sentence?