sinews

The summit in London was an attempt by the prime minister both to calm diplomatic brows and stiffen diplomatic sinews.

“The idea was just to go look at the muscles and sinews that would be a good reference for us when we build it.”

Among the findings are arrows preserved with their original feathers, remains of fibres, and two bowstrings made of animal sinews, which are the oldest found so far in Europe.

Writing Molly’s death and its aftermath, Butler is not afraid of its sinews and gore.

And he argued on commercial grounds that those wanting to stop the slave trade were a threat to "colonial wealth, the sinews of our commercial existence".