spines
Cactus defense system
Spines are rigid, pointed structures—the plural of spine.
A porcupine's spines are sharp quills for defense.
A cactus has spines instead of leaves.
Books have spines, the bound edge where pages attach and the title appears: She ran her finger along the spines on the shelf.
The spine is also the backbone, the column of vertebrae running down the back.
Figuratively, spine means courage or resolve: He doesn't have the spine to stand up to them.
Sharp plant projections
- cactusSpiny desert plant
- pricklesSmall sharp plant projections
- barbsSharp points or jibes
- needlesSlender pointed instruments
agave · yucca · rose · acacia · hawthorn · bramble · briar · succulent
Hollow defensive animal spikes
- porcupineBarbed defensive rodent
- hedgehogSpiny nocturnal mammal
- sea urchinSpiny marine echinoderm
- echidnaEgg-laying spined mammal
lionfish · stingray · dorsal · fin · spiny · defensive · venomous · erectile
Interlocking bones of spine
- backboneVertebral column, or courage
- lumbarOf the lower spine
- cervicalOf the neck
- thoracicOf the chest region
disc · intervertebral · alignment · posture · scoliosis · kyphosis · lordosis · osteoporosis
Tapering to a tip
- pricklySpiny or irritable
- barbedHaving sharp projections
- spikyHaving sharp projections
- needle-likeThin and sharply pointed
piercing · jagged · stinging · lancinating · penetrating · puncturing · serrated · tapered
thorns
Sharp plant projections
needles · agave · yucca · rose · acacia · hawthorn · bramble · briar · succulent · saguaro
quills
Hollow defensive animal spikes
- porcupineBarbed defensive rodent
- hedgehogSpiny nocturnal mammal
- sea urchinSpiny marine echinoderm
echidna · lionfish · stingray · dorsal · fin · spiny · defensive · venomous · erectile · keratinous
vertebrae
Interlocking bones of spine
thoracic · disc · intervertebral · alignment · posture · scoliosis · kyphosis · lordosis · osteoporosis · chiropractor
pointed
Tapering to a tip
needle-like · piercing · jagged · stinging · lancinating · penetrating · puncturing · serrated · tapered · rigid
binding
Legally or morally required
dust jacket · glue · stitching · cracked · shelf · library · bookshelf · lettering · title · creased
- publishingpublishers, editors, editor, publishing house, books
- animal defensespoison, venom, toxin, toxins, horns
- botanybotany, plants, plant biology, plant, plant anatomy
- cactus partsareole, ribs, rib, stem, stems
- fish featuresgills, fins, scales, swim bladder, streamlined body
- plant adaptationsdrought tolerance, water storage, deep roots, thorns, succulents
- sent shivers down someone's spineCaused intense fear reaction
- spinal cordBrain's extension through vertebrae
- down the spine
- spinal tapCerebrospinal fluid sampling procedure
- spinal injuryTrauma to vertebral column
- spinal columnSegmented skeletal axis