herringbone

noun

1. the spine of a herring, having numerous thin, parallel bony extensions on each side similar to the barbs of a feather
2. a pattern with such a design or anything having such a pattern, as a kind of cross-stitch, a twill weave, or an arrangement of bricks
3. a method of climbing a slope on skis with the ski tips turned outward so that the tracks form a herringbone pattern

adjective

intransitive verb, transitive verb herringboned, herringboning

1. to stitch, weave, or arrange in a herringbone pattern
2. to climb (a slope) on skis, using the herringbone method