Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BACKBANE, BACKBEEN, n. Sc. forms of backbone. Lit. and fig.Abd. 1865 G. Macdonald Alec Forbes lxviii.:
It gars me host like a cat wi' the backbane o' a herrin' in her thrapple.Ags.(D) 1922 J. B. Salmond Bawbee Bowden vii.:
I doot my backbeen's a' to smithereens.Rnf. 1871 D. Gilmour The “Pen” Folk (1876) 19–20:
Noo, ae ither question, an' I'll hae gotten the backbane o' the maitter.

Phr. †back-bane links, the spine.Abd. 1785 R. Forbes Ulysses (1821) 18:
Ere I him to my shoulders got, My back-bane links were sey'd.