A central cohesive source of support and stability.

synonyms: anchor, keystone, linchpin, lynchpin, mainstay.

Roget 820: affections, affect; character, qualities, disposition, nature, spirit, tone; temper, temperament; diathesis^†, idiosyncrasy; cast of mind, cast of soul, habit of mind, habit of soul, frame of mind, frame of soul; predilection, turn, natural turn of mind; bent, bias, predisposition, proneness, proclivity, propensity, propenseness^†, propension^†, propendency^†; vein, humor, mood, grain, mettle; sympathy etc. (love) 897.    soul, heart, breast, bosom, inner man; heart's core, heart's strings, heart's blood; heart of hearts, bottom of one's heart, penetralia mentis [Lat.]; secret and inmost recesses of the heart, cockles of one's heart; inmost heart, inmost soul; backbone.    passion, pervading spirit; ruling passion, master passion; furore^†; fullness of the heart, heyday of the blood, flesh and blood, flow of soul.    energy, fervor, fire, force.    ... show more

Roget 5: intrinsicality^†, inbeing^†, inherence, inhesion^†; subjectiveness; ego; egohood^†; essence, noumenon; essentialness^† etc. adj.; essential part, quintessence, incarnation, quiddity, gist, pith, marrow, core, sap, lifeblood, backbone, heart, soul; important part etc. (importance) 642.    principle, nature, constitution, character, type, quality, crasis^†, diathesis^†.    habit; temper, temperament; spirit, humor, grain; disposition.    endowment, capacity; capability etc. (power) 157.    moods, declensions, features, aspects; peculiarities etc. (speciality) 79; idiosyncrasy, oddity; idiocrasy etc. (tendency) 176; diagnostics.    ... show more

Roget 215: support, ground, foundation, base, basis; terra firma; bearing, fulcrum, bait [U.S.], caudex crib^†; point d'appui [Fr.], pou sto [Gr.], purchase footing, hold, locus standi [Lat.]; landing place, landing stage; stage, platform; block; rest, resting place; groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention; floor etc. (basement) 211.    supporter; aid etc. 707; prop, stand, anvil, fulciment^†; cue rest, jigger; monkey; stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage; sleeper; stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit^†, outrigger; ratlings^†.    staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle^†; bourdon^†, cowlstaff^†, lathi^†, mahlstick^†.    post, pillar, shaft, thill^†, column, pilaster; pediment, pedicle; pedestal; plinth, shank, leg, socle^†, zocle^†; buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment; baluster, banister, stanchion; balustrade; headstone; upright; door post, jamb, door jamb.    frame, framework; scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis^†, trave^†, corner stone, summer, transom; rung, round, step, sill; angle rafter, hip rafter; cantilever, modillion^†; crown post, king post; vertebra.    columella^†, backbone; keystone; axle, axletree; axis; arch, mainstay.    trunnion, pivot, rowlock^†; peg etc. (pendency) 214^†; tiebeam etc. (fastening) 45; thole pin^†.    board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet^†, trivet, arbor, rack; mantel, mantle piece [Fr.], mantleshelf^†; slab, console; counter, dresser; flange, corbel; table, trestle; shoulder; perch; horse; easel, desk; clotheshorse, hatrack; retable; teapoy^†.    seat, throne, dais; divan, musnud^†; chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall; arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair; couch, fauteuil [Fr.], woolsack^†, ottoman, settle, squab, bench; aparejo^†, faldstool^†, horn; long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair; lamba chauki^†, lamba kursi^†; saddle, pannel^†, pillion; side saddle, pack saddle; pommel.    bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed^†, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead; four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang^†; bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse^†; pillow, bolster; mat, rug, cushion.    footstool, hassock; tabouret^†; tripod, monopod.    Atlas, Persides, Atlantes^†, Caryatides, Hercules.    ... show more

Dutch: middelpunt, sleutelfiguur, spil
Polish: ostoja

Fortitude and determination.

synonyms: grit, gumption, guts, moxie, sand.

Roget 604: determination, will; iron will, unconquerable will; will of one's own, decision, resolution; backbone; clear grit, true grit, grit [U.S.]; sand, strength of mind, strength of will; resolve etc. (intent) 620; firmness etc. (stability) 150; energy, manliness, vigor; game, pluck; resoluteness etc. (courage) 861; zeal etc. 682; aplomb; desperation; devotion, devotedness.    mastery over self; self control, self command, self possession, self reliance, self government, self restraint, self conquest, self denial; moral courage, moral strength; perseverance etc. 604.1; tenacity; obstinacy etc. 606; bulldog; British lion.    ... show more

Roget 861: courage, bravery, valor; resoluteness, boldness etc. adj.; spirit, daring, gallantry, intrepidity; contempt of danger, defiance of danger; derring-do; audacity; rashness etc. 863; dash; defiance etc. 715; confidence, self-reliance.    manliness, manhood; nerve, pluck, mettle, game; heart, heart of grace; spunk, guts, face, virtue, hardihood, fortitude, intestinal fortitude; firmness etc. (stability) 150; heart of oak; bottom, backbone, spine etc. (perseverance) 604.1. resolution etc. (determination) 604; bulldog courage.    prowess, heroism, chivalry.    exploit, feat, achievement; heroic deed, heroic act; bold stroke.    man, man of mettle; hero, demigod, Amazon, Hector; lion, tiger, panther, bulldog; gamecock, fighting-cock; bully, fire eater etc. 863.    ... show more

Roget 604a: perseverance; continuance etc. (inaction) 143; permanence etc. (absence of change) 141; firmness etc. (stability) 150.    constancy, steadiness; singleness of purpose, tenacity of purpose; persistence, plodding, patience; sedulity etc. (industry) 682; pertinacy^†, pertinacity, pertinaciousness; iteration etc. 104; bottom, game, pluck, stamina, backbone, grit; indefatigability, indefatigableness; bulldog courage.    ... show more

Roget 221: interiority; inside, interior; interspace^†, subsoil, substratum; intrados.    contents etc. 190; substance, pith, marrow; backbone etc. (center) 222; heart, bosom, breast; abdomen; vitals, viscera, entrails, bowels, belly, intestines, guts, chitterings^†, womb, lap; penetralia [Lat.], recesses, innermost recesses; cave etc. (concavity) 252.    ... show more

Dutch: doortastenheid, vastberadenheid, lef, karakter, perseveratie, persistentie, ruggegraat, ruggengraat, tenaciteit, volhardingsvermogen

The series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord.

synonyms: back, rachis, spinal column, spine, vertebral column.

Roget 222: centrality, centricalness^†, center; middle etc. 68; focus etc. 74.    core, kernel; nucleus, nucleolus; heart, pole axis, bull's eye; nave, navel; umbilicus, backbone, marrow, pith; vertebra, vertebral column; hotbed; concentration etc. (convergence) 290; centralization; symmetry.    center of gravity, center of pressure, center of percussion, center of oscillation, center of buoyancy &c.; metacenter^†.    ... show more

Dutch: ruggegraat, ruggengraat, ruggestreng, wervelkolom
Polish: kręgosłup, stos pacierzowy

The part of a book's cover that encloses the inner side of the book's pages and that faces outward when the book is shelved.

synonym: spine.

Polish: grzbiet książki

The part of a network that connects other networks together.