spine

[spahyn]

noun

1. the spinal or vertebral column; backbone.

2. any backbonelike part.

3. 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.

4. something, as a quality or trait, that constitutes a principal strength; resolution; stamina; backbone.

   a situation that would test a person's spine.

5. a ridge, as of ground or rock.

6. a sharp-pointed, hard or woody outgrowth on a plant; thorn.

7. Bookbinding.,  the back of a book cover or binding, usually indicating the title and author.

spine

/ spaɪn /

noun

1. the spinal column

2. the sharply pointed tip or outgrowth of a leaf, stem, etc

3. 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

4. the back of a book, record sleeve, etc

5. a ridge, esp of a hill

6. strength of endurance, will, etc

7. anything resembling the spinal column in function or importance; main support or feature

spine

1. See vertebral column

2. Any of various pointed projections, processes, or appendages of animals.

3. A sharp-pointed projection on a plant, especially a hard, narrow modified leaf, as on a cactus, that is adapted to reduce water loss.

4. Compare thorn See more at leaf

Other Word Forms

• spined adjective
• spinelike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spine¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin spīna thorn, backbone

Word History and Origins

Origin of spine¹

C14: from Old French espine spine, from Latin spīna thorn, backbone

Example Sentences

“It’s for people with shoulder impingement or spinal compression issues. It takes all the compression off your spine and allows you to perform a squat under resistance.”

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A spider can flick off irritating hairs from the backside of its abdomen, which feel like fiberglass or minute cactus spines.

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In war he states the brutal fact, then the explanation: “Both legs stuck out awkwardly. He had been hit in the spine.”

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"I fractured lower vertebrae in my spine and cracked about five ribs and broke my wrist".

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Meanwhile, Del Toro amps up the action, starting the film off with a ghastly great sequence in which Elordi’s Creature punches a sailor so hard his spine snaps into a backward somersault.

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Related Words

• bone 
• vertebrae www.thesaurus.com