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bone
[ bohn ]
noun
- 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.
verb (used with object)
adverb
bone tired.
Bône
1/ bon /
bone
2/ bəʊn /
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
- risqué or indecent
his jokes are rather close to the bone
- in poverty; destitute
- feel in one's bonesto have an intuition of
- have a bone to pickto have grounds for a quarrel
- make no bones about
- to be direct and candid about
- to have no scruples about
- point the boneoften foll by at
- to wish bad luck (on)
- 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
/ 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
- Any of the structures made of bone that constitute a skeleton, such as the femur. The human skeleton consists of 206 bones.
Derived Forms
- ˈboneless, adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of bone1
Word History and Origins
Origin of bone1
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,
- 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.
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
Example Sentences
Not long after I was finally diagnosed, my doctor ordered a bone density scan.
Later studies showed that only gaining weight and the return of natural menstruation help improve bone density.
My doctor put me on oral contraceptives to induce a period, figuring it would help build bone.
This leaves people with a history of anorexia and reduced bone density like me at high risk for fractures.
An x-ray two hours later confirms my hunch: my tibia (the big bone behind the shin) is snapped clean in two.
I saw this girl, eight or nine years old, all benumbed and nothing but skin and bone.
Large mononuclear leukocytes probably originate in the bone-marrow or spleen.
That we will, and you never need want, Mark, for I've many a fine bone buried away against old age and rainy weather.
Myelocytes are the bone-marrow cells from which the corresponding granular leukocytes are developed.
Polymorphonuclear leukocytes are formed in the bone-marrow from neutrophilic myelocytes.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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