▪ I. sinew, n.
(ˈsɪnjuː)
Forms: α. 1 pl. seonuwa, seon(o)we, 2 seonewe, 3 sen(u)we, 3–4 senue, 3–7 senewe, 4–5 zenew, 5–6 senew; 4–6 senow, -owe, 5–6 senou; 6 senaw. β. 1 sionwe, sinwe, sinu(w)-, 4–7 sinewe (6 sinn-), 5– sinew, 6–7 sinue (6 sinnue); 1, 4–7 synewe (7 synn-), 4–6 synew (5 cynew, 6 syneu); 4 synue, 4–5 syn(u)we (5 cynwe), 5 synu, cynu. γ. 4 synoghe, 4, 6 synou, 5 synnou, 5–7 synnow (5 cynow-); 4 sinou, 5–7 sinow-, 6–8 sinnow. δ. Sc. (and north.) 5 (9) senon, 6 sennon, 9 sennen; 5–6 senown (5 sennoun, -own); 6 synnoun, 9 sinnon, sinnen (sinner).
[OE. seon(o)we, sionwe, etc., oblique forms from the nom. sionu, sinu: see sine n.1 The w of the stem also appears in OHG. senewa, senuwa, senwe, etc., and in MDu. zenewe, zenuwe (Du. zenuw). With the Sc. and northern forms in -n cf. minnon for minnow and talloun for tallow.]
1. Anat. A strong fibrous cord serving to connect a muscle with a bone or other part; a tendon. Also in fig. context (quot. 1560).
| α Beowulf 817 Seonowe onsprungon, burston ban-locan. c 1000 Saxon Leechd. III. 48 Seonuwa [synd] fortoᵹene & ða tan scrinceð up. a 1200 St. Marher. 7 Ant þenne ichulle tellen, hwen þu al to torren art,..alle þine seonewen. c 1205 Lay. 6498 Þat deor..forbat him þa breste, ban and þa senuwen. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 175 Þere nas no flesch bi-leued bote senue and bare bon. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 23 Paralitikes..mai not riȝtli move þer partis for feblenesse of þer senewis. c 1400 Destr. Troy 8794 The bavme..Bret thurgh the bones and the big senowis. 14.. Metr. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 627 Neruus, zenew. c 1450 Merlin xx. 339 Grete and lene and full of veynes and of senewes. a 1529 Skelton P. Sparowe 46 Wherewith my handes I wrange, That my senaws cracked. 1547 Boorde Brev. Health x. 10 b, A senowe the whyche doth growe out of the myddle of the spondyls. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 101 To sende their ayde against the Turke..were to unarme them selves and to cut their owne senewes. |
| β a 1000 Andreas 1425 Nu sint sionwe toslowen. c 1000 Saxon Leechd. II. 282 On þa saran sinua & aswollenan..bind on gate tyrdelu. Ibid. 328 Ᵹif sinwe syn forcorfene, nim renwyrmas [etc.]. a 1300 Cursor M. 3941 Þe maister sinu of his the. Ibid. 3944 O sinnu etes neuer juu. c 1305 St. Christopher 194 in E.E.P. (1862) 65 Hire lymes burste..Necke & synuen & oþer ek. 1382 Wyclif Gen. xxxii. 25 He towchide the synwe of his hip. a 1400–50 Stockh. Med. MS. 97 To stawnche blod of weyne or of synuwe. c 1430 Two Cookery Bks. 53 Take fayre Buttes of Porke..& clene pyke a-way þe bonys & þe Synewes. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 78/1 Cynew,..of armys, or leggys, nervus. 1584 R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. iii. vi. 37 A spirit hath no flesh, bones, nor sinewes. 1601 Holland Pliny II. 162 The oil or ointment..is comfortable to the sinues. 1658 A. Fox Würtz' Surg. i. iii. 11 It happeneth..that through this needless stitching of the sinews, is caused the running of sinews. 1727–46 Thomson Summer 507 While his big sinews full of spirits swell. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. (1815) 215 You cannot conceive..how it braces every sinew of the human frame. 1810 Scott Lady of L. iii. xiii, Such cause of haste Thine active sinews never braced. 1865 Seeley Ecce Homo iii. (ed. 8) 23 No one questioned the stoutness of Samson's sinews. |
| γ c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 1917 Ilka vayn and ilka synoghe and lith. c 1425 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 39 Þe mouþe of þe lure wiþ þe lacertes and þe synowes..was vtterly gnawen away. 1483 Cath. Angl. 341/1 With owtyn Synows, eneruus. 1535 Coverdale Ezek. xxxvii. 6, I wil geue you synowes, & make flesh growe vpon you. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 126 His thighes full of synowes, and his legs well knitte. 1604 Breton Passionate Sheph. Wks. (Grosart) I. 7/2 Each Sinow, Limme and ioynt, Perfect shape in euery point. 1611 Cotgr., Nerf, a Synnow. |
| δ c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints vii. (James the Less) 631 His senownys þat drawyn ware to-gyddyre, lousyt rycht þare. 1470 Henry Wallace v. 297 His houch sennownnis he cuttyt all atanys. c 1500 Kennedie Passion of Christ 450 All his body þai fret, Saris his senonis. 1552 Lyndesay Monarche 4921 Quhen that cald humour dounwart dois proceid, In Senownis it causis Arthetica. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. v. 287 Vanes, synnounis, banes. 1829 Brockett N.C. Gloss. (ed. 2), Sinnon, for sinew. 1894 Heslop Northumbld. Gloss. 616 He cut yen o' the senons o' his leg wi' the adge. |
b. A tendon taken out of an animal body and used for some purpose, esp. for binding or tying with; hence, † a snare; a string in a musical instrument.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 7195 Wit seuen sinous wa sa me band, I tint my strenth. c 1388 Wyclif Judges xvi. 7 Seuene coordis of senewis. a 1400 Prymer (1891) 82 Thou settest my foot in a synewe [L. in nervo]. 1535 Coverdale Judges xvi. 7 Samson sayde vnto her: Yf I were bounde with seuen roapes of fresh senowes, which are not yet dryed vp, I shulde be weake, and as another man. 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 95 They thrust the synew within the sheethe therof. 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. v. 513 Th' inchanting sinnewes of his Instrument. 1855 Longfellow Hiawatha iii. 77 His linden cradle,..Safely bound with reindeer sinews. 1875 Bancroft Native Races Pacific St. I. 56 A sling or net made of woven sinews. |
† c. transf. A rib in a leaf. Obs. rare.
| 1551 Turner Herbal i. B j, Whose leues are..more depe cut in, towarde the synowe that goeth thorow the myd lefe. 1578 Lyte Dodoens 251 The stemmes whereof, with the synewes of the leaves.., are all redde. 1585 [see nerve n. 6 a]. |
d. In sing., as a substance or material.
| 1825 J. Neal Bro. Jonathan I. 268 He appeared powerful enough to crush the boy—sinew and bone. 1845 Darwin Voy. Nat. vi. (1879) 118 The tassels had been fastened by split sinew. |
† 2. A nerve. Obs.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. iii. xvii. (1495) 62 The synewe that hyghte neruus obticus, an holow sinew, is hidde in the vtter partye of the brayne. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 24 From þe brayn comen .vij. peire cordes, & þei ben clepid sensible senewis. 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde i. x, The brayne, of whom all the sinewes take their originall. 1578 Banister Hist. Man 1 No portion of sinewes, which are the immediate organs of sence, is in their [bones] substaunce disseminated. 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 86 When..the Marrow of the back bone is hurt, there followeth the resolution of the sinewes (which hindereth the function of the sense and motion). 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. i. i. ii. iii, Nerves or Sinews, are Membranes without, and full of Marrow within. |
3. Chiefly pl. Strength, energy, force.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 393 b, For this intent.., y{supt} ther should no sinewes nor force at all be lefte in all Germany. c 1595 Carew in G. G. Smith Eliz. Crit. Ess. (1904) II. 292 The Italyan is pleasante but without synewes, as to stillye fleeting water. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 194 His authoritie hath no sinews. 1722 Wollaston Relig. Nat. iii. 49 That they may not be ignorant..what it is that gives sinews to an inference, and makes it just. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. III. 61 He should find..that their arms had not wholly lost their ancient sinew. 1878 Morley Carlyle 175 It [Carlylism] is Byronism with thew and sinew. |
4. The main strength, mainstay, or chief supporting force, of something.
The plural has been more freq. employed than the sing.
| sing. 1579 North Plutarch, Cleomenes (1896) V. 223 He that sayed first, that Money was the sinewe of all thinges, spoke it chiefly in my opinion, in respect of the warres. 1589 Pasquil's Return B, Bursting the sinew of peoples obedience. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. i. iii. 143 The great Achilles, whom Opinion crownes, The sinew, and the forehand of our Hoste. 1684 Bp. Burnet tr. Utopia 151 There must follow upon it a dissolution of all Justice, which is the chief Sinew of Society. 1721 Ramsay Prospect of Plenty 210 Thou nervous sinnow of baith war and law! 1880 Christian World 137 The advanced Liberals..supply the bone, the sinew, the muscle, and the fighting power of the party. |
| plur. 1587 Fleming Contin. Holinshed III. 343/2 A man may well saie, that chiualrie is the fundation and sinewes of a commonweale. 1600 Holland Livy vii. xxxix. 277 The principall authors of the mutinie, who were the sinewes and strength thereof. 1624 Bedell Lett. vi. 104 Take away these words, and the sinewes of the sentence are cut. 1691 Hartcliffe Virtues p. xiv, The Principles of Irreligion do unjoynt the Sinews of all Government. 1760 Johnson Idler No. 96 ¶4 Indolence and effeminacy..relaxed the sinews of his resolution. 1791 Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest i, The time may come..when death shall dissolve the sinews of Avarice. 1818 Hallam Mid. Ages (1872) I. 252 Whenever he thought fit to exert the sinews of his prerogative. 1857 Ruskin Pol. Econ. Art 23 The discipline of the masses has hitherto knit the sinews of battle. 1870 J. Bruce Life Gideon xi. 197 It is pre-eminently practical as touching the very soul and sinews of our faith. |
b. In phr. the sinews of war, i.e. money. † Also in sing. (quot. 1598).
After L. nervi belli pecunia (Cicero Phil. v. ii. 5).
| c 1550 Disc. Common Weal Eng. (1893) 87 These coins and treasures be not with out cause called of wise men..The senowes of warre. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 272 The Duke of Saxon, although he wanted the Senewes of warre, yet he battred Gemund. 1598 Barret Theor. Warres 120 His Indian fleet bringing the sinew of his warres. 1621 R. Brathwait Nat. Embassie (1877) 139 We surpasse their state, In power, in riches, sinewes of sharpe warre. 1668 Dryden Even. Love iii. i, If you had the sinews of war, I am sure you would be flying out. 1751 Narr. H.M.S. Wager 5 That part of the World, from whence their immense Wealth, the Sinews of War, is chiefly derived. 1827 Hallam Const. Hist. (1876) II. viii. 87 There was one possible..method of obtaining the sinews of war—the convocation of parliament. 1874 Burnand My Time v. 39 As to the sinews of war, had he not already provided for the improbable adversities of the future? |
5. Comb. a. In terms denoting contraction or strain of the sinews, as sinew-bound, sinew-grown, sinew-shrunk(en), sinew-strained.
| 1603 Florio Montaigne ii. viii. (1632) 214 An old, crazed, sinnow shronken, and nigh dead father. 1645 Daniel Poems Wks. (Grosart) II. 23 My Sober Muse can say how it did wound My Sinnew-bound Vnusefull Members. 1654 H. L'Estrange Chas. I (1655) 105 The King..was sinew⁓shrunk, and wanted money the sinews of war. 1686 Lond. Gaz. No. 2163/4 A brown bay Mare.., Sinew-strain'd on the near Leg before. 1705 Ibid. No. 4125/4 He is a little Sinew-strain'd of the inside of the off Foot before. 1828 Carr Craven Gloss., Sinner-grown, having a contraction in the sinews, of which sinner is a corruption. |
b. Miscellaneous, as sinew-backing, sinew-bruise, sinew-corded, sinew-shrinking, sinew-singer; sinew-water, synovia, joint-oil.
| 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. iii. Furies 173 The sinew-shrinking Dead-laughing Apium. Ibid. ii. ii. iv. Columnes 717 The Guide of supplest fingers On (living⁓dumb, dead-speaking) sinnew-singers. 1599 A. M. tr. Gabelhouers' Bk. Phys. 312/1 These Playsteres cure all woundes, whether they do thruste, or cut, yea and althoughe the very sinnuewater did issue therout. 1658 A. Fox Würtz' Surg. i. vi. 26 That corrosive..resisteth forcibly the sinew⁓water, called the joynt-water. 1725 Fam. Dict. s.v. Horse⁓feeder, Strains, Over-Reaches, Sinew-Bruises, and the like. 1847 Tennyson Princ. v. 524 Supple, sinew-corded, apt at arms. 1896 Grinnell Story Indian 151 The nocks were cut, and the sinew backing applied. |
▪ II. sinew, v.
(ˈsɪnjuː)
[f. prec.]
1. trans. To run through, tie together, cover over with, or as with, sinews. rare.
| 1592 Nashe P. Penilesse 13 Her gray breast, and her speckled side sayles, all sinnowed with siluer quilles. 1596 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. vi. 91 So shalt thou sinow both these Lands together. 1607 Markham Caval. vi. (1617) 55 After the tree is sinewd, you shall then glew strong canuase all ouer the wood also. |
2. To supply with sinews; to strengthen as by sinews; to nerve, harden. Chiefly fig.
| a 1614 Donne βιαθανατος (1648) 86 Out of a duty to Sinew and strengthen..the Doctrine of our Blessed Saviour. 1625 ― Serm. 3 Apr. 6 Thy Almightie Arme, sinewed euen with thine owne indignation. 1643 Spinkes Serm. Oxford 19 Apr. C 3 b, The kingdome being sinewed and flesht with the addition of so much new strength and force, flourisheth. 1718 D'Urfey Grecian Heroine v. i, My Clindor's, and Clorona's Wrongs,..sinew my old Flesh. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xxvii, We should then find that creatures, now stuck up for long tortures,..might, if properly treated, serve to sinew the state in times of danger. 1852 Culross Lazarus Revived 34 Christianity needs something to nerve and sinew it. 1879 Todhunter Alcestis 14 Sinew thy heart to hear; for death is dreadful. 1891 F. Tennyson Poems 480 Such might Sinews old custom. |