sinew

views updated Jun 11 2018

sin·ew / ˈsinyoō/ • n. a piece of tough fibrous tissue uniting muscle to bone or bone to bone; a tendon or ligament. ∎  (usu. sinews) fig. the parts of a structure, system, or thing that give it strength or bind it together: the sinews of government.• v. [tr.] [usu. as adj.] (sinewed) poetic/lit. strengthen with or as if with sinews: the sinewed shape of his back.DERIVATIVES: sin·ew·less adj.sin·ew·y / -wē/ adj.

sinew

views updated May 18 2018

sinew tendon OE.; mainstay, chief support (sinews of war money, after L. nervi belli pecunia, Cicero) XVI. OE. sin(e)we, sionwe, etc., obl. forms of sinu, seonu = (M)LG., MDu., MHG. sene (Du. zeen, G. sehne), ON. sin :- Gmc. *senawō.

sinew

views updated May 18 2018

sinew (sin-yoo) n. a tendon.