shin
noun
the front part of the leg from the knee to the ankle.
shin
1 American
[shin]
/ ʃɪn /
noun
-
the front part of the leg from the knee to the ankle.
-
the lower part of the foreleg in cattle.
-
the shinbone or tibia, especially its sharp edge or front portion.
-
Chiefly British. a cut of beef similar to the U.S. shank, usually cut into small pieces for stewing.
verb (used with or without object)
shins,
present (3rd person singular)
shinned,
past participle, past
shinning
present participle
shin
2
American
[sheen, shin]
/ ʃin, ʃɪn /
noun
-
the 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
-
the consonant sound represented by this letter.
shīn
3
American
[sheen]
/ ʃin /
noun
Shin
4
American
[shin, sheen]
/ ʃɪn, ʃin /
noun
Buddhism.
shin
1
British
/ ʃɪn /
noun
-
the front part of the lower leg
-
the front edge of the tibia
-
a cut of beef, the lower foreleg
verb
-
to climb (a pole, tree, etc) by gripping with the hands or arms and the legs and hauling oneself up
-
(tr) to kick (a person) in the shins
shin
2
British
/ ʃɪn /
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
shinsimple
-
shinssimple
-
have shinnedperfect
-
has shinnedperfect
-
am shinningprogressive
-
are shinningprogressive
-
is shinningprogressive
-
have been shinningperfect progressive
-
has been shinningperfect progressive
Past
-
shinnedsimple
-
had shinnedperfect
-
was shinningprogressive
-
were shinningprogressive
-
had been shinningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of shin1
before 1000; Middle English shine, Old English scinu; cognate with Dutch scheen, German Schien ( bein )
Origin of shin2
1895–1900; < Hebrew shīn, akin to shēn tooth
Origin of shīn3
From Arabic
Origin of Shin4
1895–1900; < Japanese: literally, faith < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese zhēn truth
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The State Department just announced an overseas “sports diplomacy” initiative with the UFC—arm bars and shin kicks for hearts and minds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
Coroner's officer Emma Donaldson told the inquest the children were warned not to go into the water above shin height because Chiedza could not swim.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026
During these sessions, participants walked on a treadmill while wearing a device on the shin that provided vibration feedback.
From Science Daily ● May 22, 2026
Work paused frequently as workers uncovered thousands of fossils, including a 2-foot bison horn and camel shin bone, dating back to the Ice Age.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
And before the evil wizard could roar out a “Just what do you think you’re—” Sir Will had kicked him square in the shin and snatched his mothers prized possession from his old, grizzled fingers.
From "A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff
Al Fayed bought Balnagown in 1972 and also Sutherland's Falls of Shin Visitor Centre, which was damaged by fire in 2013.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Nongshim Shin Ramyun is another one of my favorites, as the noodles are made to be enjoyed in a spicy soup.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
South Korea fan Ben Lee was performing soccer kick-ups with a pack of Shin Noodles when he saw Kevin Gonzalez walk by in a Mexico shirt and offered him a fist bump.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
Bank of Korea Gov. Shin Hyun-song warned against falling behind the curve on taming inflation, signaling growing urgency for policymakers to act before it is too late.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
He continued to entertain Shin with long stories about good things to eat.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
In the remote Ocotillo washes, where the scrubs claw at people’s shins, he recently found what he believes to be the remains of a human finger.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2026
The first time I saw the U.S. and Canadian women play each other live, it felt as if someone had taken a standard hockey game, given it six espressos, and kicked it in the shins.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026
Gilgeous-Alexander was sidelined by a sprained ankle while Holmgren was nursing sore shins, both joining Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams on OKC's injured list.
From Barron's ● Jan. 10, 2026
Running does come with risks - the NHS warns that injuries to the knees, shins and muscles can affect people of all experience levels.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2024
“If we don’t keep ahead of them we’ll be up to our shins in it,” she hissed nervously.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
And the 37-year-old settled the game when he shinned Lamine Yamal's header across goal and past his own keeper.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2023
But a teenager who offered only his first name, Oleksandr, had shinned up the supporting pole and was tearing the sign to pieces.
From New York Times ● Nov. 13, 2022
Clucas' effort took a deflection off the boot of Moussa Sissoko and flew into the corner, while Tymon shinned a first-time cross over Elliot's head.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2021
Out went Geoff Cameron, whose shinned clearance had gifted Nani the opening goal against Portugal, and whose drop in concentration was a contributing factor, but certainly not the sole cause, in the second.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 27, 2014
I twisted them off and shinned back down.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
As it was, it took two set-pieces break down the visitors, with Hofmann shinning a volley through a crowded penalty area after the initial ball in was not cleared.
From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2024
"All love on my end shawty, Keep shinning!"
From Fox News ● Feb. 22, 2021
Lee chronicled the innocence and tragedy of her childhood in the classic novel, shinning a light on the Jim Crow-era South as well as injustice in a small Alabama town.
From Seattle Times ● May 29, 2019
I experienced Ustvolskaya’s magnificent chords and resonances as heat and light, while that shinning orb overhead became a giant gong.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2018
Poor old Ike has been shinning around Sally Dickson ever since Lem brought her home from school—from Denver.
From Ruth Fielding at Silver Ranch Schoolgirls Among Cowboys by Emerson, Alice B.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
