bone
Anatomy, Zoology.
one of the structures composing the skeleton of a vertebrate.
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,
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.
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.).
completely; absolutely: bone tired.
Idioms about bone
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,
to deal with in a direct manner; act or speak openly: He makes no bones about his dislike of modern music.
to have no fear of or objection to.
to the bone,
to the essentials; to the minimum: The government cut social service programs to the bone.
to an extreme degree; thoroughly: chilled to the bone.
Origin of bone
1Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use bone in a sentence
This year, a bare-bones welfare program will continue into the New Year without being updated.
To GOP Congress, as Usual, It’s Welfare on the Chopping Block | Monica Potts | December 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTInstead of being strong and resilient, bones become weak and brittle.
My surgeon told me my bones were so soft he could barely install the screws.
But even if the great conqueror lies elsewhere, the Kasta bones might well be those of his wife.
Is This Alexander the Great’s Tomb—or His Wife’s? | James Romm | December 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTChiefly, we forgot the many, many problems there are with the bones—the book and score—to this show.
‘Peter Pan Live!’ Review: No Amount of Clapping Brings It to Life | Kevin Fallon | December 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Hardy and Hicks flung the huge marrow bones with which they happened to be engaged at the time.
Hunting the Lions | R.M. BallantyneThey are votaries of the weed, making their pipes either out of driftwood, or of the bones of animals they have used for food.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.They attend to the burial of the poor, and of the bones of those who are hanged, which duty they see to once each year.
The second word should indicate by its consonants the numbers of the bones to which the attachment is made.
Assimilative Memory | Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)I hoped till morning, as a lion so hath he broken all my bones: from morning even to night thou wilt make an end of me.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | Various
British Dictionary definitions for bone (1 of 2)
/ (bəʊn) /
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: Related adjectives: osseous, osteal
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
risqué or indecent: his jokes are rather close to the bone
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
to be direct and candid about
to have no scruples about
point the bone (often foll by at) Australian
to wish bad luck (on)
to threaten to bring about the downfall (of)
to remove the bones from (meat for cooking, etc)
to stiffen (a corset, etc) by inserting bones
to fertilize with bone meal
taboo, slang to have sexual intercourse with
British a slang word for steal
Origin of bone
1- See also bone up
Derived forms of bone
- boneless, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for Bône (2 of 2)
/ (French bon) /
a former name of Annaba
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for bone
[ bōn ]
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 osteocyte.
Any of the structures made of bone that constitute a skeleton, such as the femur. The human skeleton consists of 206 bones.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with bone
In addition to the idioms beginning with bone
- bone of contention
- bone to pick, have a
- bone up
also see:
- 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
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Browse