What does backbone mean?

Definitions for backbone
ˈbækˌboʊnback·bone

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word backbone.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. anchor, mainstay, keystone, backbone, linchpin, lynchpinnoun

    a central cohesive source of support and stability

    "faith is his anchor"; "the keystone of campaign reform was the ban on soft money"; "he is the linchpin of this firm"

  2. backbone, grit, guts, moxie, sand, gumptionnoun

    fortitude and determination

    "he didn't have the guts to try it"

  3. spinal column, vertebral column, spine, backbone, back, rachisnoun

    the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord

    "the fall broke his back"

  4. spine, backbonenoun

    the part of a book's cover that encloses the inner side of the book's pages and that faces outward when the book is shelved

    "the title and author were printed on the spine of the book"

  5. backbonenoun

    the part of a network that connects other networks together

    "the backbone is the part of a communication network that carries the heaviest traffic"

Wiktionary

  1. backbonenoun

    The series of vertebrae, separated by disks, that encloses and protects the spinal cord, and runs down the middle of the back in vertebrate animals.

  2. backbonenoun

    any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure

    Before automobiles, railroads were a backbone of commerce.

  3. backbonenoun

    courage, fortitude, or strength

    He would make a good manager, if he had a little more backbone.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Backbonenoun

    The bone of the back.

    Etymology: from back and bone.

    The backbone should be divided into many vertebres for commodious bending, and not be one entire rigid bone. John Ray.

Wikipedia

  1. Backbone

    The backbone is the vertebral column of a vertebrate.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Backbonenoun

    the column of bones in the back which sustains and gives firmness to the frame; the spine; the vertebral or spinal column

  2. Backbonenoun

    anything like , or serving the purpose of, a backbone

  3. Backbonenoun

    firmness; moral principle; steadfastness

Freebase

  1. Backbone

    Backbone is the second album by jazz saxophonist Boney James, released in 1993.

Suggested Resources

  1. backbone

    Song lyrics by backbone -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by backbone on the Lyrics.com website.

How to pronounce backbone?

How to say backbone in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of backbone in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of backbone in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of backbone in a Sentence

  1. Sister Margaret Maggio:

    Helen Prejean thinks big. Helen Prejean has big dreams, big hopes, i'm detail-centered. I'm the backbone.

  2. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker:

    There's serious work to be done rather than pomp andcircumstance. We need to see some backbone from President Obama on U.S.-China relations.

  3. President Biden:

    These kinds of mass shootings rarely happen in other parts of the world, but they have mental health problems. They have people who are lost... Why are we willing to let this happen ? Where, in God's name, is our backbone ? It's time to turn this pain into action.

  4. Sister Jacquelyn McCarthy:

    For me, I would be lost without the immigrants, they are the backbone of my staffing. We could service many more people, but we can't recruit the staff.

  5. Alison Friedman:

    They're looking for someone who is not just going to bring a thoughtful approach to the big problems we face as a country, but also has a backbone and the courage to fight for what's right.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

backbone#10000#14066#100000

Translations for backbone

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"backbone." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. Web. 7 Jun 2023. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/backbone>.

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