Why Are Arguments Called ‘Having Beef’?
“Having beef” can be extremely delicious or uncomfortably contentious, depending on the context. For instance, someone having beef at their favorite steakhouse will leave happily sated. But having beef with a bitter rival means disagreeing with them and holding a grudge. The origins of this phrase can be traced back
to the late 1800s, when “beef” first came to be used as a synonym for a grievance. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the verb “beef,” meaning “to complain,” has been used as American slang since at least 1888. In New York World, a farmer was quoted referring to a...
