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Spine vs Thorny - What's the difference?

spine | thorny |

As a noun spine

is the series of bones situated at the back from the head to the pelvis of a person, or from the head to the tail of an animal; backbone, vertebral column.

As an adjective thorny is

having thorns or spines.

spine

English

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Noun

(en noun)
  • The series of bones situated at the back from the head to the pelvis of a person, or from the head to the tail of an animal; backbone, vertebral column.
  • * 1851 , (Herman Melville), (Moby-Dick) , :
    • If you attentively regard almost any quadruped's spine , you will be struck with the resemblance of its vertebrae to a strung necklace of dwarfed skulls.
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  • Something resembling a backbone, such as a ridge, or a long, central structure from which other structures radiate.
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  • # The narrow, bound edge of a book.
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  • A rigid, pointed surface protuberance or needle-like structure on an animal, shell, or plant.
  • * 1871 , (Charles Darwin), (w) , :
    • The male, as Dr. Gunther informs me, has a cluster of stiff, straight spines , like those of a comb, on the sides of the tail.
  • (figurative) Courage or assertiveness.
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    • Derived terms

    * send shivers down someone's spine * spina bifida * spinal * spinal canal * spinal column * spinal cord * spine board * spineless * spiniferous * spinose * spinous * spiny

    Anagrams

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    External links

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    thorny

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • having thorns or spines
  • troublesome or vexatious
  • * Shakespeare
    • the steep and thorny way to heaven
  • aloof and irritable
  • * Louisa May Alcott, Good Wives
    • 'Come, Jo, don't be thorny . After studying himself to a skeleton all the week, a fellow deserves petting, and ought to get it.'

    Derived terms

    * (l) * thorny restharrow * thorny trefoil

    Anagrams

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