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Shin vs Calf - What's the difference?

shin | calf |

As nouns the difference between shin and calf

is that shin is the front part of the leg below the knee; the front edge of the shin bone while calf is a young cow or bull.

As a verb shin

is to climb a mast, tree, rope, or the like, by embracing it alternately with the arms and legs, without help of steps, spurs, or the like.

shin

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) shine, from (etyl) scinu, from (etyl) . Cognate with West Frisian skine, Dutch scheen, German Schiene.

Noun

(en noun)
  • The front part of the leg below the knee; the front edge of the shin bone.
  • A fishplate for a railway.
    • (Knight)
    Synonyms
    * tibia
    Related terms
    *

    Verb

    (shinn)
  • To climb a mast, tree, rope, or the like, by embracing it alternately with the arms and legs, without help of steps, spurs, or the like.
    • to shin up a mast
  • To strike with the shin.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=January 5 , author=Mark Ashenden , title=Wolverhampton 1 - 0 Chelsea , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=The warning signs had been there as Peter Cech had already had to palm away a stinging shot from Ronald Zubar but immediately afterwards the Blues goalkeeper could only watch in horror as defender Boswinga shinned the ball into his own net from Hunt's corner. }}
  • (US, slang) To run about borrowing money hastily and temporarily, as when trying to make a payment.
    • (Bartlett)
    Synonyms
    * shinny (US)
    Derived terms
    * shinny * shin bone * shin leaf * shin splints

    Etymology 2

    Ultimately from (etyl) . Compare Shamash.

    Alternative forms

    * sheen *

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The twenty-first letter of many Semitic alphabets/abjads (Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and others).

    • External links

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    calf

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) cealf, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A young cow or bull.
  • Leather made of the skin of the calf; especially, a fine, light-coloured leather used in bookbinding.
  • A young elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals).
  • A chunk of ice broken off of a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg.
    • (Kane)
  • A small island, near a larger island.
    • the Calf of Man
  • A cabless railroad engine.
  • (informal, dated) An awkward or silly boy or young man; any silly person; a dolt.
  • * Drayton
    • some silly, doting, brainless calf
    Synonyms
    *
    Derived terms
    * * * *
    Related terms
    *
    See also
    * cow * veal

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) kalfi, possibly derived from the same Germanic root as ().

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (anatomy) The back of the leg below the knee.
  • The muscle in the back of the leg below the knee.
  • * 1988 , Steve Holman, "Christian Conquers Columbus", , 47 (6): 28-34.
    • Sure, his calves are a little weak, but the rest of his physique is so overwhelming, he should place high.
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    Anagrams

    * English nouns with irregular plurals English terms with multiple etymologies ----