Backbone
Definition of backbone:
part of speech: noun
The bone of the back, the vertebral column; also, firmness, stability of purpose, energy. ( Amer.).
part of speech: noun
Usage examples for backbone:
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Backbone of a vessel in wooden ships.
"Boys' Book of Model Boats", Raymond Francis Yates. -
You've got the backbone to see it through?
"The Dark Star", Robert W. Chambers. -
The small European force has always been the backbone of our armies; but in every battle native soldiers have formed the great majority.
"Life and Work in Benares and Kumaon, 1839-1877", James Kennedy. -
You can't help that, and you're Scottish to the backbone in all that matters.
"Johnstone of the Border", Harold Bindloss.