beef trust

English

Etymology

Originally the name of a conglomerate of beef producers; later adopted ironically by US carnival showman WB ‘Billy’ Watson, who used it as the name for his sideshow of overweight women.

Pronunciation
  • Audio (AU)(file)

Noun

beef trust (plural beef trusts)

  1. (US slang) A group of overweight or obese people.
    • 1946, Mezz Mezzrow, Bernard Wolfe, Really the Blues, New York: Random House, page 91:
      The beef trust was out in full force – these landladies were all shaped up like barrels, wherever there wasn't a crease in their meat there was a dimple.
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