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backbones

 [bak-bohn]   Origin

back·bone

   [bak-bohn]
noun
1.
Anatomy. the spinal column; spine.
2.
strength of character; resolution.
3.
something resembling a backbone in appearance, position, or function.
4.
Bookbinding. a back or bound edge of a book; spine.
5.
Nautical. a rope running along the middle of an awning, as a reinforcement and as an object to which a supporting bridle or crowfoot may be attached.
EXPAND
6.
Naval Architecture. the central fore-and-aft assembly of the keel and keelson, giving longitudinal strength to the bottom of a vessel.
COLLAPSE
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English bacbon. See back1, bone1

Related forms
back·boned, adjective
back·bone·less, adjective

Synonyms
2. firmness, decision, fortitude.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Backbones is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

backbone
"spine," c.1300, from back (n.) + bone. Fig. sense of "strength of character" is attested from 1843.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

backbone back·bone (bāk'bōn')
n.
See spinal column.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
backbone   (bāk'bōn')  Pronunciation Key 
See vertebral column.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary

backbone definition


The primary line(s) that connects the slower, shorter cable portions of a communications network together. (See last mile.) In larger networks, such as the Internet, a backbone consists of high-capacity, high-speed lines that can extend over great distances.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary

backbone definition


  1. n.
    courage; integrity. (Colloquial.) : If you had any backbone, you would be able to deal with this.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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