spine: Meaning and Definition of

spine

Pronunciation: (spīn), [key]
— n.
  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. the back of a book cover or binding, usually indicating the title and author.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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