What does shinned mean?
Shinned is the past tense and past participle of the verb shin. Its most familiar use is in the expression “shin up,” meaning to climb or scramble over something using the hands and feet, as in “the child shinned up a fence.” This usage is particularly associated with British English and conveys quick, energetic movement. In a less common sense, shinned can describe striking or grazing something with the shin. Because shinned is an inflected form rather than an independent dictionary headword, it normally appears in past-tense and perfect constructions. It should not be confused with shined, the past tense of shine, which refers to polishing something or making it bright.
verbThe past tense and past participle of shin. It can mean to climb or move using the hands and feet, or, less commonly, to strike or graze someone or something with the shin.
- To climb, scramble up, or move over something using the hands and feet.
- To strike or graze with the shin.
"She shinned up the fence and dropped into the garden."
"She shinned up the fence and dropped into the garden."
"He accidentally shinned the edge of the table."
Shinned preserves the picture of climbing with an agile, close-to-the-body movement, as if the climber were using the shins as much as the hands and feet.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of shinned
The underlying word shin comes from Old English scinu, denoting the part of the leg between the knee and ankle. It belongs to the Germanic family of words for the shin and has relatives such as German Schien, Dutch scheen, and Old Norse skín. The verb shin developed from the noun, originally referring to movement involving the shins and later to climbing or striking with the shin.
Related word forms
How shinned is actually used
The climbing sense is especially associated with British usage and is often found in the expression “shin up.” The sense involving a blow from the shin is less common.
Easily confused with shinned
Shinned is the past form of shin, as in “shinned up a wall,” whereas shined is the past form of shine and means “polished or made shiny.”