spine
the spinal or vertebral column; backbone.
any backbonelike part.
a stiff, pointed process or appendage on an animal, as a quill of a porcupine, or a sharp, bony ray in the fin of a fish.
something, as a quality or trait, that constitutes a principal strength; resolution; stamina; backbone: a situation that would test a person's spine.
a ridge, as of ground or rock.
a sharp-pointed, hard or woody outgrowth on a plant; thorn.
Bookbinding. the back of a book cover or binding, usually indicating the title and author.
Origin of spine
1Other words from spine
- spined, adjective
- spinelike, adjective
Words Nearby spine
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use spine in a sentence
Only 11 Republicans were able to find the spine to vote with Democrats to strip her of those assignments.
Republicans can run from accountability, but they can’t hide | Jennifer Rubin | February 5, 2021 | Washington PostA jolt of pain and energy spiked through my back, traveling up my spine.
Besides revisiting the time when, as an adolescent, he had a major operation to remove a tumor on his spine, Williamson reckoned with a funeral for a sister who died almost half a century ago.
Sleaford Mods gets introspective, but don’t think they’ve gone soft | Zachary Lipez | January 21, 2021 | Washington PostLet your thumbs rest on either side of your spine, right where your trapezius ends.
A step-by-step guide to giving yourself a massage | Sandra Gutierrez G. | January 14, 2021 | Popular-ScienceEngage your abs—again, imagine pulling your belly button toward your spine—to eliminate any gap between your lower back and the floor.
This 10-Move Core Workout Will Kick Your Ass | Hayden Carpenter | December 21, 2020 | Outside Online
Morris struggled to straighten his back, which involved stiffening a spine rarely used.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’ | Asawin Suebsaeng | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThe results were awful: marked osteoporosis in the spine, hip, and femur.
He survived, Risner says, but was left permanently injured by a bullet to his spine.
It is a joy to watch Shafer seamlessly work incisive commentary on contemporary life into a fast-paced spine-chiller.
The Best Fiction of 2014: Ford, Ferrante, Klay, and More | William O’Connor | December 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIts spine, too, “‘hubbed’ as the most prized European classics are,” is decorated with delicate gold squiggles and a star.
Another crash, which nearly shut up his spine like a telescope, told him that there were no wings.
The Giant of the North | R.M. BallantyneA cold, numbing sensation stole down my spine and made my legs grow suddenly weak.
Uncanny Tales | VariousA shudder ran down his spine; there was a sensation of inner cold against his heart; he trembled, but he could not look away.
The Wave | Algernon BlackwoodHe was flung down heavily, and pinned prone in a corner by one of those bullies who knelt on his spine.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniHe felt as if his spine had suddenly become hollow and someone had filled it with particles of ice.
The Empty House And Other Ghost Stories | Algernon Blackwood
British Dictionary definitions for spine
/ (spaɪn) /
the spinal column
the sharply pointed tip or outgrowth of a leaf, stem, etc
zoology a hard pointed process or structure, such as the ray of a fin, the quill of a porcupine, or the ridge on a bone
the back of a book, record sleeve, etc
a ridge, esp of a hill
strength of endurance, will, etc
anything resembling the spinal column in function or importance; main support or feature
Origin of spine
1Derived forms of spine
- spined, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for spine
[ spīn ]
Any of various pointed projections, processes, or appendages of animals.
A sharp-pointed projection on a plant, especially a hard, narrow modified leaf, as on a cactus, that is adapted to reduce water loss. Compare thorn. See more at leaf.
Other words from spine
- spinal adjective
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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