chine

chine  (chn)

n.

1.

a. The backbone or spine, especially of an animal.

b. A cut of meat containing part of the backbone.

2. A ridge or crest.

3. Nautical The line of intersection between the side and bottom of a flatbottom or V-bottom boat.

tr.v. chined, chin·ing, chines

To cut (a carcass, for example) through the spine, as when butchering.

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[Middle English, from Old French eschine, of Germanic origin; see skei- in Indo-European roots.]

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chine¹

n

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Anatomy) the backbone

2. (Cookery) the backbone of an animal with adjoining meat, cut for cooking

3. (Earth Sciences / Physical Geography) a ridge or crest of land

4. (Transport / Nautical Terms) (in some boats) a corner-like intersection where the bottom meets the side

vb

(Cookery) (tr) to cut (meat) along or across the backbone

[from Old French eschine, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German scina needle, shinbone; see shin¹]

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chine²

n

(Miscellaneous Technologies / Brewing) another word for chime²

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chine³

n

(Earth Sciences / Geological Science) Southern English dialect a deep fissure in the wall of a cliff

[Old English cīnan to crack]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	chine - cut of meat or fish including at least part of the backbone cut of meat, cut - a piece of meat that has been cut from an animal carcass
	2.	chine - backbone of an animal spinal column, spine, vertebral column, rachis, backbone, back - the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord; "the fall broke his back"
Verb	1.	chine - cut through the backbone of an animal butcher, slaughter - kill (animals) usually for food consumption; "They slaughtered their only goat to survive the winter"