antagonistic muscle

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Explanation of "Antagonistic Muscle"

Definition:
An "antagonistic muscle" is a type of muscle that works against another muscle. When one muscle contracts (gets shorter), the antagonistic muscle relaxes (gets longer) to allow movement. For example, when you bend your arm, the biceps muscle contracts to pull the arm up, while the triceps muscle relaxes.

Usage Instructions:

• Use "antagonistic muscle" when talking about how different muscles in the body work together and oppose each other to create movement.
• It is often used in discussions about anatomy, physiology, or exercise.

Example Sentence:

• "When lifting weights, the biceps and triceps are antagonistic muscles because they work against each other to control the movement of the arm."

Advanced Usage:

In advanced discussions, you might encounter terms like "agonist" (the muscle that is responsible for the movement) in contrast to antagonistic muscles. For example: - "The biceps act as the agonist while the triceps are the antagonistic muscle during elbow flexion."

Word Variants:

• Antagonist (noun): Referring to the muscle that opposes another muscle.
• Agonistic (adjective): Related to the muscle that is doing the action.

Different Meanings:

• Antagonistic can also refer to a general sense of opposition or hostility in other contexts, such as in relationships or competition. For example, "The two teams had an antagonistic rivalry."

Synonyms:

• Opposing muscle
• Counter muscle
• Contrasting muscle

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

While there are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "antagonistic muscle," you might encounter phrases like: - "To work against" - This means to counter or oppose something, similar to how antagonistic muscles work against each other.

Conclusion:

Understanding "antagonistic muscle" helps you appreciate how our bodies move and function. It is a key concept in biology and health, especially when studying exercise or physical therapy.

Academic

Noun

1. (physiology) a muscle that opposes the action of another
   • the biceps and triceps are antagonistic muscles