sardine

noun4

1. •
   Any one of several species of small herring which are commonly preserved in olive oil or in tins for food, especially the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus, syn. Clupea pilchardus). The American sardines of the Atlantic coast are mostly the young of the Atlantic herring and of the menhaden, and many canned sardines in America are sprats.

   • They feasted on premium sardines packed in olive oil, as did their hunting dogs, who insisted on joining the meal.
2. •
   (figurative) Someone packed or crammed into a small space.

   • They watched bemused as countless sardines disgorged from a railway car that was never designed to hold so many passengers.
3. •
   Dark-brown sard.
4. •
   (no longer used) Carnelian.

verb2

1. •
   To fish for sardines.

   • No one on Monhegan says they saw them, but a man sardining says he saw it headed there, or at least some boat with people atop it. — 1997
2. •
   (figurative) to pack or cram together tightly.

   • Six-foot- four McMichael (a past master at the art of sardining) not only crammed enough clothes for the trip into the mighty midget, but carried a full set of golf clubs and a banjo, as well! — 1954

adjective1

1. •
   Characteristic of a sardius.

   • And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. — 1611

noun1

1. •
   A member of the Italian grassroots political movement organized to protest against the right-wing surge in the country and the political rhetoric of Matteo Salvini.

   • A new grassroots movement called ‘sardines’ is fighting against Italy's rightwing strongman Matteo Salvini across the nation after a spectacular launch in Bologna last week. — 2019