*spine*

n. [ L. spina thorn, the spine; akin to spica a point: cf. OF. espine, F. épine. Cf. Spike, Spinet a musical instrument, Spinny. ] 1. (Bot.) A sharp appendage to any of a plant; a thorn. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) A rigid and sharp projection upon any part of an animal. (b) One of the rigid and undivided fin rays of a fish. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Anat.) The backbone, or spinal column, of an animal; -- so called from the projecting processes upon the vertebrae. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Anything resembling the spine or backbone; a ridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A fish having spines in, or in front of, the dorsal fins. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) Any species of Australian birds of the genus Acanthorhynchus. They are related to the honey eaters. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Furnished with spines; spiny. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Having fine supported by spinous fin rays; -- said of certain fishes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Bleached yarn in making the linen tape called inkle; unwrought inkle. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Having no spine, or vertebral column. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having no thorns or barbs. [ PJC ]

3. lacking in strength of character; cowardly, in a physical or moral sense. [ PJC ]

{ } n. [ F. spinelle, or LL. spinellus, perhaps from L. spina a thorn, a prickle, in allusion to its pointed crystals. ] (Min.) A mineral occuring in octahedrons of great hardness and various colors, as red, green, blue, brown, and black, the red variety being the gem spinel ruby. It consist essentially of alumina and magnesia, but commonly contains iron and sometimes also chromium. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The spinel group includes spinel proper, also magnetite, chromite, franklinite, gahnite, etc., all of which may be regarded as composed of a sesquioxide and a protoxide in equal proportions. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being spinescent or spiny; also, a spiny growth or covering, as of certain animals. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a.[ L. spinescens, -entis, p. pr. of spinescere to know to grow thorny, fr. spina a thorn: cf. F. spinescent. ] (Bot.) Becoming hard and thorny; tapering gradually to a rigid, leafless point; armed with spines. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. espinete, F. épinette (cf. It. spinetta), fr. L. spina a thorn; -- so called because its quills resemble thorns. See Spine. ] (Mus.) A keyed instrument of music resembling a harpsichord, but smaller, with one string of brass or steel wire to each note, sounded by means of leather or quill plectrums or jacks. It was formerly much used. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dumb spinet. (Mus.) See Manichordon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. spinetum. See Spinny. ] A spinny. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) (a) Any one or several species of swifts of the genus Acanthylis, or Chaetura, and allied genera, in which the shafts of the tail feathers terminate in rigid spines. (b) Any one of several species of South American and Central American clamatorial birds belonging to Synallaxis and allied genera of the family Dendrocolaptidae. They are allied to the ovenbirds. (c) The ruddy duck. [ Local, U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Having the tail quills ending in sharp, naked tips. [ 1913 Webster ]

Spine-tailed swift. (Zool.) See Spinetail (a). [ 1913 Webster ]