herringbone

English

Bricks arranged in a herringbone pattern

Alternative forms

• herring-bone

Pronunciation

• (Canada) IPA: /ˈhɛrɪŋˌboʊn/

Noun

herringbone (plural herringbones)

1. A bone of a herring
   • 1884: Samuel Smiles, Men of Invention and Industry

     The prosperity of Amsterdam was then so great that it was said that Amsterdam was "founded on herring-bones."

2. A zigzag pattern, especially made by bricks, on a cloth, or by stitches in sewing
   • 1861: Charlotte Yonge, The Young Step-Mother

     'The best path of life is but a herring-bone pattern.'

   • 1922: James Joyce, Ulysses

     Mr Bloom walked behind the eyeless feet, a flatcut suit of herringbone tweed.

3. (skiing) A method of climbing a hill by pointing the skis outward in a V-shape to keep from sliding backwards.

Translations

bone of a herring

• Finnish: sillinruoto (fi)

pattern

• Finnish: kalanruotokuvio (fi), kalanruoto- (fi)

• Italian: spina di pesce (it)

method of climbing on skis

• Finnish: haarakäynti (fi)