Definition of sinew
From the M-W Editors
sinew was our Word of the Day on 07/10/2010. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of sinew in a Sentence
cutting through bone and sinew
the justices displayed great intellectual depth and sinew in writing their opinion on this case
Recent Examples of sinew from the Web
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When the Virgin Mary appeared to William II in a dream 843 years ago and asked him to build a church, the 20-year-old King of Sicily spared neither expense nor sinew in meeting her request.
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White punk vests with cords that evoked alien-like sinews exposed flesh on waif-like male models with visible bones.
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With no sets, a narrow playing space along the front of the stage, merely the simplest costumes and some sprinklings of gold glitter, the Philharmonic, Mr. Gilbert and the director Louisa Muller have stripped the work to its sinews.
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There will be no lunging towards tramlines, or stretching every sinew to serve at speed.
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Gibson’s works, which take inspiration from his Choctaw and Cherokee heritage as well as modernism and popular culture, incorporate materials such as rawhide, tipi poles, sterling silver, wool blankets, metal cones, beads, fringe and sinew.
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Fried chicken liver: For chicken livers, use scissors to cut the two lobes apart and trim away any extraneous fat or sinew.
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Farley thinks the sinew tied around Lindow Man’s neck could as easily be a necklace as a garrote.
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Pront can hardly be blamed if his actors lack the sinew of Cagney or Brando, and, to be fair, the film does add a few grace notes to the perennial theme, as when the boys’ mother, a gentle soul, urges Dave to look after Kenny on his release.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sinew.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Many parts of the body have come to have figurative meanings in English. One can have an eye for interior design, for example, or the stomach for a fight. "Muscle," of course, can mean "strength," and so can "sinew," a word for the tissue that ties muscle to bone - more commonly known as a tendon. (For a while, "sinew" also meant "nerve," but that usage is obsolete.) The use of "sinew" to mean "the chief supporting force" ties into its anatomical function as a stabilizing unit. Sinew derives via Middle English from Old English "seono"; it is also related to Old High German senawa ("sinew") and Sanskrit "syati" ("he binds").
Origin and Etymology of sinew
Middle English sinewe, from Old English seono; akin to Old High German senawa sinew, Sanskrit syati he binds
Other Anatomy Terms
First Known Use of sinew
circa 1614
SINEW Defined for English Language Learners
sinew
playDefinition of sinew for English Language Learners
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: strong tissue that connects muscles to bones
SINEW Defined for Kids
Medical Dictionary
Learn More about sinew
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See words that rhyme with sinew Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sinew Spanish Central: Translation of sinew Nglish: Translation of sinew for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of sinew for Arabic speakers
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