backbone

plural backbones · alternative back bone

1. countableThe series of vertebrae, separated by disks, that encloses and protects the spinal cord, and runs down the middle of the back in vertebrate animals.
2. countablefigurativelyAny fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure.

   Before automobiles, railroads were a backbone of commerce.

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   Undoubtedly it can be said that the humble 0-6-0 has been the backbone for general service, or general utility on British railways right from their earliest days, and is likely to remain so.

   1945 November and December, H. C. Casserley, “Random Reflections on British Locomotive Types—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 320

   With little regular employment available in East Kent the backbone of the Kent Coast passenger traffic is therefore the commuters, the not inconsiderable numbers of people who travel each day to their work in Faversham, Sittingbourne, the Medway Towns and most of all, London.

   1959 April, P. Ransome-Wallis, “The Southern in Trouble on the Kent Coast”, in Trains Illustrated, London: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 212

   East [Street] and West Street form a single thoroughfare running as a backbone through the village, flanked by neat, painted cottages of predominantly 18th-century brick.

   1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 220, about Hambledon, Hants

   The San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) and other community-based organizations that "provide backbone and leadership" in AIDS services are "reeling under the impact of growing case loads," said Pat Christen, SFAF's new director.

   1989 December 10, John Zeh, “AIDS Groups' Execs Arrested In D.C.”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 22, page 1

   The backbone of our research is an extensive corpus of contemporary spoken Esperanto.

   2022, Sabine Fiedler, Cyril Robert Brosch, “Methods and data” (chapter 5), in Esperanto – Lingua Franca and Language Community, John Benjamins Publishing Company, →DOI, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OL, page 22

3. figurativelyuncountableCourage, fortitude, or strength.

   He would make a good manager, if he had a little more backbone.

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   His appearance was certainly that of a hairdresser's dummy; but in the great demoralization of the land he kept up his appearance. That's backbone. His starched collars and got-up shirt-fronts were achievements of character. He had been out nearly three years; and, later, I could not help asking him how he managed to sport such linen.

   1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 207

   [Indiana:] I hate snakes, Jock! I hate 'em! [Jock:] Come on! Show a little backbone, will ya!

   1981, Lawrence Kasdan, Raiders of the Lost Ark