Backbone

Backbone
The spine. A flexible row of bones stretching from the base of the skull to the tailbone.
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SYN: vertebral column.

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back·bone -'bōn, -.bōn n
1) SPINAL COLUMN, SPINE
2) the longest chain of atoms or groups of atoms in a usu. long molecule (as a polymer or protein)

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n.
a flexible bony column extending from the base of the skull to the small of the back. It encloses and protects the spinal cord, articulates with the skull (at the atlas), ribs (at the thoracic vertebrae), and hip girdle (at the sacrum), and provides attachment for the muscles of the back. It is made up of individual bones (see vertebra) connected by discs of fibrocartilage (see intervertebral disc) and bound together by ligaments. The backbone of a newborn baby contains 33 vertebrae: seven cervical (neck), 12 thoracic (chest), five lumbar (lower back), five sacral (hip), and four coccygeal. In the adult the sacral and coccygeal vertebrae become fused into two single bones (sacrum and coccyx, respectively); the adult vertebral column therefore contains 26 bones. Anatomical name: rachis.

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back·bone (backґbōn) columna vertebralis.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Backbone — Back bone (b[a^]k b[=o]n ), n. [2d back, n. + bone.] [1913 Webster] 1. The column of bones in the back which sustains and gives firmness to the frame; the spine; the vertebral or spinal column. [1913 Webster] 2. Anything like, or serving the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Backbone — may mean:* Vertebral column, of a vertebrate organism * Backbone chain, in polymer chemistry, the framework of the molecule * Backbone Entertainment, a video game development company * Backbone network, the top level of a hierarchical network *… …   Wikipedia

  • Backbone — Backbone: Internet backbone Backbone network Backbone Entertainment  производитель видеоигр Backbone (альбом Бони Джеймса) Бэкбэун  сообщество в округе Alleghany, Виргиния …   Википедия

  • Backbone — (engl. „Rückgrat“) bezeichnet: in der Biochemie das Grundgerüst von Proteinen und Nukleinsäuren, siehe Backbone (Biochemie) in der Telekommunikation einen verbindenden Kernbereich eines Telekommunikationsnetzes mit sehr hohen Bandbreiten, siehe… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • backbone — [n1] strength of character courage, determination, firmness, fortitude, grit, guts, hardihood, heart, intestinal fortitude*, mettle, moral fiber, nerve, pluck, resolution, resolve, spunk, stamina, steadfastness, tenacity, toughness, will,… …   New thesaurus

  • backbone — I noun ardor, audacity, boldness, cornerstone, courage, dependency, determination, earnestness, embodiment, endurance, firmness, fortitude, gist, ground, indefatigability, intestinal fortitude, main point, mainstay, marrow, mettle, nerve, pillar …   Law dictionary

  • backbone — spine, early 14c., from BACK (Cf. back) (n.) + BONE (Cf. bone). Figurative sense of strength of character is attested from 1843 …   Etymology dictionary

  • backbone — 1 back, *spine, vertebrae, chine 2 grit, guts, sand, *fortitude, pluck Analogous words: *courage, resolution, tenacity, mettle, spirit: courageousness, intrepidity, dauntlessness, valiancy (see corresponding adjectives at BRAVE): nerve, * …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • backbone — ► NOUN 1) the spine. 2) the chief support of a system or organization. 3) strength of character …   English terms dictionary

  • backbone — [bak′bōn΄] n. [ME bakbon: see BACK1 & BONE] 1. the column of bones along the center of the back of vertebrate animals, including humans, made up of separate bones connected by the spinal cord, ligaments, and disk shaped cartilage; spine: see… …   English World dictionary

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