bone

[ bohn ]

noun

1. 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.
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. any 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,
   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.
7. the color of bone; ivory or off-white.
8. a flat strip of whalebone or other material for stiffening corsets, petticoats, etc.; stay.
9. Games Slang. a domino.

verb (used with object)

, boned, bon·ing.

1. to remove the bones from:

   to bone a turkey.

2. to put whalebone or another stiffener into (clothing).
3. Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse with:

   He was boning his best friend's wife!

4. Agriculture. to put bone meal into (feed, fertilizer, etc.).

adverb

1. completely; absolutely:

   bone tired.

Bône

¹

/ bon /

noun

1. a former name of Annaba

bone

²

/ bəʊn /

noun

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 osseousosteal
3. something consisting of bone or a bonelike substance
4. plural the human skeleton or body

   they laid his bones to rest

   come and rest your bones

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 )

   to explain the bones of a situation

7. plural dice
8. plural an informal nickname for a doctor
9. close to the bone or near the bone
   1. risqué or indecent

      his jokes are rather close to the bone

   2. 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
    1. to be direct and candid about
    2. to have no scruples about
13. point the bone
    often foll by at
    1. to wish bad luck (on)
    2. to threaten to bring about the downfall (of)

verb

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

bone

/ bōn /

1. 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.
2. See more at osteoblast
3. 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

First recorded before 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”; from Germanic bainam

Word History and Origins

Origin of bone¹

Old English bān ; related to Old Norse béin , Old Frisian bēn , Old High German bein

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. bone up, Informal. to study intensely; cram:

   We're going to have to bone up for the exam.

2. feel in one's bones, to think or feel intuitively:

   She felt in her bones that it was going to be a momentous day.

3. 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.

4. 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.
5. 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

Example Sentences

The $1,500 Embody Gaming Chair has the bones of an office chair.

From Quartz

After too long in microgravity, our muscles and bones become weak.

From Science News For Students

The man’s bones had previously been found in the Newgrange passage tomb, an earthen mound covering more than 4,000 square meters near the River Boyne.

From Science News

Archaeologist Ryan Rabett of Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland calls the new study of Sri Lankan bone points “suggestive but not definitive” evidence of bow-and-arrow hunting.

From Science News

The tooth and six bone fragments are more than 40,000 years old.

From Science News For Students

Not long after I was finally diagnosed, my doctor ordered a bone density scan.

From The Daily Beast

Later studies showed that only gaining weight and the return of natural menstruation help improve bone density.

From The Daily Beast

My doctor put me on oral contraceptives to induce a period, figuring it would help build bone.

From The Daily Beast

This leaves people with a history of anorexia and reduced bone density like me at high risk for fractures.

From The Daily Beast

An x-ray two hours later confirms my hunch: my tibia (the big bone behind the shin) is snapped clean in two.

From The Daily Beast

I saw this girl, eight or nine years old, all benumbed and nothing but skin and bone.

From Project Gutenberg

Large mononuclear leukocytes probably originate in the bone-marrow or spleen.

From Project Gutenberg

That we will, and you never need want, Mark, for I've many a fine bone buried away against old age and rainy weather.

From Project Gutenberg

Myelocytes are the bone-marrow cells from which the corresponding granular leukocytes are developed.

From Project Gutenberg

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes are formed in the bone-marrow from neutrophilic myelocytes.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cartilage