sinew

sinew
    n 1: a cord or band of inelastic tissue connecting a muscle with
         its bony attachment [syn: {tendon}, {sinew}]
    2: possessing muscular strength [syn: {brawn}, {brawniness},
       {muscle}, {muscularity}, {sinew}, {heftiness}]
    

Sinew \Sin"ew\, n. [OE. sinewe, senewe, AS. sinu, seonu; akin to
   D. zenuw, OHG. senawa, G. sehne, Icel. sin, Sw. sena, Dan.
   sene; cf. Skr. sn[=a]va. [root]290.]
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   1. (Anat.) A tendon or tendonous tissue. See {Tendon}.
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   2. Muscle; nerve. [R.] --Sir J. Davies.
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   3. Fig.: That which supplies strength or power.
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            The portion and sinew of her fortune, her marriage
            dowry.                                --Shak.
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            The bodies of men, munition, and money, may justly
            be called the sinews of war.          --Sir W.
                                                  Raleigh.
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   Note: Money alone is often called the sinews of war.
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Sinew \Sin"ew\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Sinewed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Sinewing}.]
   To knit together, or make strong with, or as with, sinews.
   --Shak.
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         Wretches, now stuck up for long tortures . . . might,
         if properly treated, serve to sinew the state in time
         of danger.                               --Goldsmith.
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103 Moby Thesaurus words for "sinew":
      amperage, arm, armipotence, authority, backbone, beef, beefiness,
      bite, bitingness, black power, brawn, brawniness, brute force,
      charge, charisma, clout, cogence, cogency, compulsion, cuttingness,
      dint, drive, duress, effect, effectiveness, effectuality,
      elasticity, energy, flower power, force, force majeure,
      forcefulness, full blast, full force, guts, heftiness, huskiness,
      impressiveness, incisiveness, influence, involuntary muscle,
      ligament, main force, main strength, mana, might, might and main,
      mightiness, mordancy, moxie, muscle, muscle power, muscularity,
      musculature, nervosity, nervousness, physique, pillar, pizzazz,
      poignancy, poop, potence, potency, potentiality, power, power pack,
      power structure, power struggle, powerfulness, prepotency,
      productiveness, productivity, puissance, pull, punch, push,
      sinewiness, sinews, stamina, steam, strength, strong arm,
      strong language, superiority, superpower, tendon, thew, thewiness,
      thews, tone, trenchancy, validity, vehemence, vigor, vigorousness,
      vim, virility, virtue, virulence, vitality, voluntary muscle,
      wattage, weight