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Hone

- 10 dictionary results

hone

1[hohn] noun, verb, honed, hon⋅ing.
–noun
1. a whetstone of fine, compact texture for sharpening razors and other cutting tools.
2. a precision tool with a mechanically rotated abrasive tip, for enlarging holes to precise dimensions.
–verb (used with object)
3. to sharpen on a hone: to hone a carving knife.
4. to enlarge or finish (a hole) with a hone.
5. to make more acute or effective; improve; perfect: to hone one's skills.

Origin:
bef. 950; ME (n.); OE hān stone, rock; c. ON hein hone; akin to cone


honer, noun

hone

2[hohn]
–verb (used without object), honed, hon⋅ing.
1. South Midland and Southern U.S. to yearn; long: to hone for the farm life; to hone after peach pie.
2. Archaic. to moan and groan.

Origin:
1590–1600; < AF *honer; OF hogner to grumble, growl < Gmc; cf. OS hōnian to abuse, revile
hone 1   (hōn)   
n.  
  1. A fine-grained whetstone for giving a keen edge to a cutting tool.
  2. A tool with a rotating abrasive tip for enlarging holes to precise dimensions.
tr.v.   honed, hon·ing, hones
  1. To sharpen on a fine-grained whetstone.
  2. To perfect or make more intense or effective: a speaker who honed her delivery by long practice.
Phrasal Verb(s):
hone in
  1. To move or advance toward a target or goal: The missiles honed in on the military installation.
  2. To direct one's attention; focus: The lawyer honed in on the gist of the plaintiff's testimony.

[Middle English, from Old English hān, stone; see kō- in Indo-European roots. Hone in, alteration of home in.]
hone 2   (hōn)   
intr.v.   honed, hon·ing, hones Informal
  1. To whine or moan.
  2. To hanker; yearn.

[Obsolete French hoigner, from Old French, perhaps from hon, cry of discontent.]

Hone

Hone\, v. i. [Etymology uncertain. [root]37.] To pine; to lament; to long. --Lamb.

Hone

Hone\, n. [Cf. Icel. h[=u]n a knob.] A kind of swelling in the cheek.

Hone

Hone\, n. [AS. h[=a]n; akin to Icel. hein, OSw. hen; cf. Skr. [,c][=a][.n]a, also [,c][=o], [,c]i, to sharpen, and E. cone. [root]38, 228.] A stone of a fine grit, or a slab, as of metal, covered with an abrading substance or powder, used for sharpening cutting instruments, and especially for setting razors; an oilstone. --Tusser.

Hone slateSee Polishing slate.

Hone stone, one of several kinds of stone used for hones. See Novaculite.

Hone

Hone\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Honed (h[=o]nd); p]. pr. & vb. n. Honing.] To sharpen on, or with, a hone; to rub on a hone in order to sharpen; as, to hone a razor.

Hone

Hone\, v. i. [Cf. F. honger to grumble.] To grumble; pine; lament; long. [Dial.Eng. & Southern U. S.]

hone  (n.)
O.E. han "stone, rock," in M.E. "whetstone" (c.1325), from P.Gmc. *khaino (cf. O.N. hein "hone"). The verb is 1788, from the noun.
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