What does sinew mean?
Word: Sinew
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Sinew means a tough cord in the body that ties a muscle to a bone.
Word origin: From Old English seonu.
How do you spell sinew?
Syllables: sin - ew
Tricky part: The end is the trap. It sounds like the word you, so students spell it the way they hear it.
Watch out for: sinue, sinyu
Memory tip: Few people think about it, but every sinew ends the way few does.
Idioms and Phrases
- strain every sinew: to try as hard as you possibly can. Example: "The team strained every sinew to finish the science model before the fair."
Sinew in a sentence
Example 1: Our biology teacher showed us a chart of how a sinew connects the calf muscle to the heel.
Example 2: Every sinew in the sprinter's legs stood out as she left the blocks.
Example 3: The gymnast stretched each sinew carefully before her routine.
Fun Fact
In the Arctic, people traditionally sewed waterproof boots and coats with thread made from sinew, because it swells when wet and fills the needle holes.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
s_new
a) i
b) e
c) y
d) a
Show answer
a) i. The short vowel at the start of this word is the one you hear in sit.
Sound Check
In which word is 'ew' pronounced differently?
a) sew
b) mildew
c) nephew
d) sinew
Show answer
a) sew. Sew sounds like the word so; in the others the letters say you.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its meaning:
1. sinew 2. cartilage 3. marrow a. firm, bendy tissue found in the nose and ears b. a stringy link that lets muscle pull on bone c. the soft substance inside bones
a) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
c) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
d) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
Show answer
c) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c. You can feel cartilage in your ears, marrow fills the bones, and the word left over links muscle and bone.
Word Champ
Read the statements and choose the correct option:
1. A sinew is a thin layer of fat under the skin. 2. A ligament joins one bone to another. 3. The biceps is a muscle in the upper arm.
a) only 1 and 2 are correct
b) all three are correct
c) only 1 and 3 are correct
d) only 2 and 3 are correct
Show answer
d) only 2 and 3 are correct. Fat has nothing to do with this word, so the statement about it fails.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A writer describes a runner's legs as all sinew. What does this suggest?
a) they are lean and powerful
b) they are pale and cold
c) they are soft and heavy
d) they are short and weak
Show answer
a) they are lean and powerful
2. A sinew works most like ___.
a) a sheet covering a table
b) a cushion resting on a chair
c) a rope tying a boat to a post
d) a pebble sitting in a shoe
Show answer
c) a rope tying a boat to a post
