Words / B2

SPYN/spaɪn/

The spine is the backbone, the edge of a book, or (informal) courage: label the spine; the spine of the book. Backbone is the everyday body twin; vertebrae are the bones. Label the spine on the skeleton. Mix-up: spin is to turn (already elsewhere); spire is a church point. Do not write spine for a single rib.

Meaning

The backbone; also the edge of a book, or courage (informal).

Examples

• “Label the spine on the skeleton, not the ribcage, the biology paper said.”
• “Write the title on the spine of the folder, which is the book-edge sense.”

Good to know

the spine; spinal (adjective); the spine of a book. Everyday body: backbone. Trap: spin / spire. Biology and libraries. Backbone or book edge.

Near in meaning

backbone

New