shin

noun, verb — 6 senses

shin

noun

/ʃɪn/

Etymology From Middle English schyne, from Old English scinu, from Proto-West Germanic *skinu, from Proto-Germanic *skinō. Cognate with West Frisian skine, Dutch scheen, German Schiene. Not related to skin.

1

The front part of the leg below the knee; the front edge of the shin bone: Shinbone on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

  • Soccer players have to wear protective gear so they don't injure their shins.
2

A fishplate for a railway

Derived terms
saber shin, shinguard, shin-kicking, shinless, shin pad, shinplaster, shinplate, shin splint, yellowshins
Related terms
shinbone

shin

verb

Etymology From Middle English schyne, from Old English scinu, from Proto-West Germanic *skinu, from Proto-Germanic *skinō. Cognate with West Frisian skine, Dutch scheen, German Schiene. Not related to skin.

1

To climb up or lower oneself down a mast, tree, rope, or the like, by embracing it alternately with the arms and legs, without help of steps, spurs, or the like.

  • to shin up a mast
  • "The minute the door is shut he shins down a water-pipe, hops on his motor-cycle, and is off at full speed."1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 33:
2

To strike with the shin.

  • The warning signs had been there as Peter Cech had already had to palm away a stinging shot from Ronald Zubar but immediately afterwards the Blues goalkeeper could only watch in horror as defender Boswinga shinned the ball into his own net from Hunt's corner.2011 January 5, Mark Ashenden, “Wolverhampton 1 - 0 Chelsea”, in BBC:
3

US, Slang To run about borrowing money hastily and temporarily, as when trying to make a payment.

  • The Senator was shinning around, to get gold for the rascally bank-rags which he was obliged to take.1845 December 13, New York Commercial Advertiser:
Derived terms
shinny, shin out

shin

noun
1

The twenty-first letter of many Semitic alphabets/abjads (Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and others): Shin (letter) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Related terms
shin hanga

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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