spine
/spaɪn/noun
1
- a series of vertebrae extending from the skull to the small of the back, enclosing the spinal cord and providing support for the thorax and abdomen; the backbone脊柱。
1.1
- figurative a thing's central feature or main source of strength〈喻〉中心力量; 中流砥柱：
players who will form the spine of our side
将成为我们队主力的运动员
Puerto Rico's mountainous spine.
波多黎各岛的中心山地。
1.2
- mass noun figurative resolution or strength of character〈喻〉骨气; 坚定; 勇气。
1.3
- the part of a book's jacket or cover that encloses the inner edges of the pages, facing outwards when the book is on a shelf and typically bearing the title and the author's name书脊。
1.4
- （亦作pay spine）a linear pay scale operated by some large organizations that allows flexibility for local and specific conditions直线型薪酬级别制（大型机构实行的一种薪酬级别制, 薪酬因地区及具体情况的不同而有所变化）。
2
- Zoology & Botany any hard pointed defensive projection or structure, such as a prickle of a hedgehog, a spike-like projection on a sea urchin, a sharp ray in a fish's fin, or a spike on the stem of a plant【动, 植】棘, 刺（如刺猬和海胆的刺）; 鱼鳍的刺; 植物上的刺。
2.1
- Geology a tall mass of viscous lava extruded from a volcano【地质】火山栓, 熔岩塔。
派生词
spined
adjective书脊残破的平装本书。
词源
late Middle English: shortening of Old French espine, or from Latin spina 'thorn, prickle, backbone'.