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⇱ bone - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

bone

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈbəʊn/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/boʊn/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(bōn)

Inflections of 'bone' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
bones
v 3rd person singular
boning
v pres p
boned
v past
boned
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
bone /boʊn/USA pronunciation   n., v., boned, bon•ing. 
n. 
  1. Anatomy, Zoology
    • [countable] one of the parts of the skeleton of an animal's body:broke a bone in his arm.
    • Anatomy[uncountable] the hard, strong white tissue forming these parts:This area is surrounded by bone.
  2. such a part from an animal that can be eaten:[countable]some soup bones.
  3. bones, [plural]
    • the skeleton.
    • a body: to rest one's weary bones.
  4. [uncountable] the color of bone;
    ivory or off-white.

v. 
  1. [~ + object] to remove the bones from: to bone a turkey.
  2. Informal Terms bone up, [no object]to study hard for;
    cram:to bone up for an exam.
Idioms
  1. Idioms feel in one's bones, [feel + object + in + one's + bones] to be sure or certain of something without knowing why:There's going to be a problem with her; I can feel it in my bones.
  2. Idioms have a bone to pick with someone, to have a reason for arguing with someone:I have a bone to pick with you: Why were all your workers taking two-hour lunches?
  3. Idioms make no bones about, [~ + object] to act or speak openly, without fear and without hesitating:made no bones about her contempt for her boss.
  4. Idioms to the bone,
    • to the bare minimum: Social services have been cut to the bone.
    • to an extreme degree;
      completely: I'm chilled to the bone.


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
bone  (bōn),USA pronunciation n., v., boned, bon•ing, adv. 
n. 
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Zoologyany of various similarly hard or structural animal substances, as ivory or whalebone.
  4. something made of or resembling such a substance.
  5. 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.
  6. bones:
    • the skeleton.
    • a body:Let his bones rest in peace.
    • Gamesdice.
    • Show Business(cap.) See Mr. Bones. 
    • Music and Dancea 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.
  7. the color of bone;
    ivory or off-white.
  8. Clothinga flat strip of whalebone or other material for stiffening corsets, petticoats, etc.;
    stay.
  9. Gamesa domino.
  10. Idioms feel in one's bones, to think or feel intuitively:She felt in her bones that it was going to be a momentous day.
  11. Idioms 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.
  12. Idioms 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.
  13. Idioms 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.

v.t. 
  1. to remove the bones from:to bone a turkey.
  2. Clothingto put whalebone or another stiffener into (clothing).
  3. Agricultureto put bone meal into (feed, fertilizer, etc.).
  4. Informal Terms bone up, to study intensely;
    cram:We're going to have to bone up for the exam.

adv. 
  1. completely;
    absolutely:bone tired.
  • Indo-European *osdos (
  • Indo-European *Host- (
  • Gmc *bainan (neuter), probably origin, originally past participle (compare Old Irish benaid (he) hews), meaning "lopped off,'' from butchering of animals; origin, originally in phrase *bainan astan lopped-off bone or branch (hence, "leg,'' as a branch of the body); replacing *astan bone
  • bef. 900; Middle English bo(o)n, Old English bān; cognate with Old Frisian, Old Saxon bēn, Dutch been bone, Old Norse bein bone, leg, German Bein leg (-bein bone, in compounds);

Bône  (bōn),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Place Namesformer name of Annaba. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
bone /bəʊn/ n
  1. any of the various structures that make up the skeleton in most vertebrates
  2. 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
  3. something consisting of bone or a bonelike substance
  4. (plural) the human skeleton or body
  5. a thin strip of whalebone, light metal, plastic, etc, used to stiffen corsets and brassieres
  6. (plural) the essentials (esp in the phrase the bare bones)
  7. (plural) dice
  8. (plural)
  9. close to the bone, near the bone ⇒
    • risqué or indecent
    • in poverty; destitute
  10. feel in one's bones ⇒ to have an intuition of
  11. have a bone to pick ⇒ to have grounds for a quarrel
  12. make no bones about ⇒
    • to be direct and candid about
    • to have no scruples about
  13. point the bone ⇒ (often followed by at) Austral to wish bad luck (on)
 vb (mainly tr)
  1. to remove the bones from (meat for cooking, etc)
  2. to stiffen (a corset, etc) by inserting bones
  3. Brit
Etymology: Old English bān; related to Old Norse béin, Old Frisian bēn, Old High German beinˈboneless adj
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Bône /French: bon/ n
  1. a former name of Annaba
'bone' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: my [son, husband] is bone idle, The bone is [broken, shattered]., broke my [leg, arm] bone in the [crash, accident], more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "bone" in the title:

... conditions might give themselves away in bone chemistry
...you <could have helped> make a bone-by-bone reproduction...
'work hands to the bone'
(Poor old Muggins was such a bone between them)
a bone in your back
a bone of the dog / the dog's bone [possessive forms]
a bone to be grabbed
a chichen bone that was left over from dinner
a dog chewing on a bone VS a dog chewing a bone
A dog is eating a bone/gnawing on a bone
a jolt of bone-grinding desire
a needle <made from the bone of a horse>
a no-expenses-paid bone-smasher of a tumble
a rag, a bone, a hank of hair
A Responsible Bone
a spiritual bone between them
a three dogs' bone
a tough bone to bite
A variety of stone and bone points discovered in excavated caves documents the importance
access bone marrow involvement
all the meat having been chewed well off the bone
ambitious bone
and not a bone in the truck
Back to the Bone (bad to the bone)
Bacon-bone stews
BE: this is no more Dan Clark's bone than it is mine
Better a bone
Blood spurted from where (bone) stuck out of the skin
blow on shin-bone
bone
more...

Look up "bone" at Merriam-Webster
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