shin

Etymology 1

From Middle English schyne, from Old English scinu, from Proto-West Germanic *skinu, from Proto-Germanic *skinō. Cognate with West Frisian skine, Dutch scheen, German Schiene. Not related to skin.

noun

1. The front part of the leg below the knee; the front edge of the shin bone: Shinbone on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
2. A fishplate for a railway

verb

1. (Britain, as "shin up") To climb a mast, tree, rope, or the like, by embracing it alternately with the arms and legs, without help of steps, spurs, or the like.
   to shin up a mast
2. To strike with the shin.
   The warning signs had been there as Peter Cech had already had to palm away a stinging shot from Ronald Zubar but immediately afterwards the Blues goalkeeper could only watch in horror as defender Boswinga shinned the ball into his own net from Hunt's corner. January 5, 2011, Mark Ashenden, “Wolverhampton 1 - 0 Chelsea”, in BBC
3. (US, slang) To run about borrowing money hastily and temporarily, as when trying to make a payment.
   The Senator was shinning around, to get gold for the rascally bank-rags which he was obliged to take. December 13 1845, New York Commercial Advertiser

Etymology 2

noun

1. The twenty-first letter of many Semitic alphabets/abjads (Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and others): Shin (letter) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia