BONE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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bone

[ bohn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.
1. one of the structures composing the skeleton of a vertebrate.
2. the hard connective tissue forming the substance of the skeleton of most vertebrates, composed of a collagen-rich organic matrix impregnated with calcium, phosphate, and other minerals.
such a structure from an edible animal, usually with meat adhering to it, as an article of food:
Pea soup should be made with a ham bone.
any of various similarly hard or structural animal substances, as ivory or whalebone.
something made of or resembling such a substance.
a small concession, intended to pacify or quiet; a conciliatory bribe or gift:
The administration threw the student protesters a couple of bones, but refused to make any basic changes in the curriculum or requirements.
bones,
1. the skeleton.
2. a body:
  Let his bones rest in peace.
3. Games Slang. dice.
4. (initial capital letter) Mr. Bones.
5. a simple rhythm instrument consisting of two sometimes curved bars or short strips of bone, ivory, wood, or the like, held between the fingers of one hand and clacked together.
the color of bone; ivory or off-white.
a flat strip of whalebone or other material for stiffening corsets, petticoats, etc.; stay.
Games Slang. a domino.

verb (used with object)

boned, boning.

to remove the bones from:
to bone a turkey.
to put whalebone or another stiffener into (clothing).
Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse with:
He was boning his best friend's wife!
Agriculture. to put bone meal into (feed, fertilizer, etc.).

adverb

completely; absolutely:
bone tired.

��ô�Ա�

/ bon /

noun

a former name of Annaba

bone

/ ��əʊ�� /

noun

any of the various structures that make up the skeleton in most vertebrates
the porous rigid tissue of which these parts are made, consisting of a matrix of collagen and inorganic salts, esp calcium phosphate, interspersed with canals and small holes osseousosteal
something consisting of bone or a bonelike substance
plural the human skeleton or body
they laid his bones to rest
come and rest your bones
a thin strip of whalebone, light metal, plastic, etc, used to stiffen corsets and brassieres
plural the essentials (esp in the phrase the bare bones )
to explain the bones of a situation
plural dice
plural an informal nickname for a doctor
close to the bone or near the bone
1. risqué or indecent
  his jokes are rather close to the bone
2. in poverty; destitute
feel in one's bones
to have an intuition of
have a bone to pick
to have grounds for a quarrel
make no bones about
1. to be direct and candid about
2. to have no scruples about
point the bone
often foll by at
1. to wish bad luck (on)
2. to threaten to bring about the downfall (of)

verb

to remove the bones from (meat for cooking, etc)
to stiffen (a corset, etc) by inserting bones
to fertilize with bone meal
taboo.
to have sexual intercourse with
a slang word for steal

bone

/ ��ō�� /

The hard, dense, calcified tissue that forms the skeleton of most vertebrates, consisting of a matrix made up of collagen fibers and mineral salts. There are two main types of bone structure: compact, which is solid and hard, and cancellous, which is spongy in appearance. Bone serves as a framework for the attachment of muscles and protects vital organs, such as the brain, heart, and lungs.
See more at osteoblast
Any of the structures made of bone that constitute a skeleton, such as the femur. The human skeleton consists of 206 bones.

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Derived Forms

ˈ��ǲԱ��, adjective

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of bone¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English bo(o)n, Old English ��; cognate with Old Frisian, Old Saxon ��ŧ��, Dutch been “b�ǲԱ�,” Old Norse bein “bone, leg,” German Bein “leg”; from Germanic bainam

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of bone¹

Old English �� ; related to Old Norse ��é�� , Old Frisian ��ŧ�� , Old High German bein

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Idioms and Phrases

bone up, Informal. to study intensely; cram:
We're going to have to bone up for the exam.
feel in one's bones, to think or feel intuitively:
She felt in her bones that it was going to be a momentous day.
have a bone to pick with someone, to have cause to disagree or argue with someone:
The teacher had a bone to pick with him because his homework paper was identical with his neighbor's.
make no bones about,
1. to deal with in a direct manner; act or speak openly:
  He makes no bones about his dislike of modern music.
2. to have no fear of or objection to.
to the bone,
1. to the essentials; to the minimum:
  The government cut social service programs to the bone.
2. to an extreme degree; thoroughly:
  chilled to the bone.

More idioms and phrases containing bone

bare bones
chilled to the bone
cut to the bone
feel in one's bones
funny bone
make no bones about
pull a boner
roll the bones
skin and bones
work one's fingers to the bone

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Whether the music adds extra flavor to his raging action scenes or amplifies an episode’s lazy backstroke through existential loneliness, you feel his work’s best moments in your bones.

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"To find out how she picked her son up in nothing but a bag of bones from one of the cartels was devastating."

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The civil suit claims Paredes suffered several bruises and broken bones, including a broken hyoid bone, which is in the front of the neck, and a partially crushed vertebra.

From

When Fileto got custody of her three grandchildren last year, she said they were so malnourished that their bones were showing.

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“Someone who is honest and works to the bone like Scott, I want him on my team.”

From

Related 51�Թ�s

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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