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bone `noun` [ bəʊn ]

• any of the pieces of hard whitish tissue making up the skeleton in humans and other vertebrates.

• "his injuries included many broken bones"

• the calcified material of which bones consist.

• "an earring of bone"

• the basic or essential framework of something.

• "you need to put some flesh on the bones of your idea"

bone `verb`

• remove the bones from (meat or fish) before cooking, serving, or selling.

• "ask your butcher to bone the turkey for you"

• study (a subject) intensively, typically in preparation for something.

• "she boned up on languages she had learned long ago"

• have sex with (someone).

Origin: Old English bān, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch been and German Bein .

on the bone

• (of meat or fish) having had the bone or bones left in before being cooked, served, or sold.

• "they supply hams in the traditional way, on the bone"

bone of contention

• a subject or issue over which there is continuing disagreement.
"the examination system has long been a serious bone of contention"

close to the bone

• (of a remark) penetrating and accurate to the point of causing discomfort.
"the headmaster was getting a little too close to the bone for my liking"

cut something to the bone

• reduce something to the bare minimum.
"costs will have to be cut to the bone"

have a bone to pick with someone

• have reason to disagree or be annoyed with someone.
"she has a bone to pick with the council"

in one's bones

• felt, understood, or believed very deeply or instinctively.
"something good was bound to happen; he could feel it in his bones"

make no bones about

• have no hesitation in stating or dealing with (something), however unpleasant or awkward it is.
"he makes no bones about his feelings towards the militants"

make old bones

• reach an advanced age.
"he knew he would never make old bones"

not have a — bone in one's body

• have not the slightest trace of the specified quality.
"she hasn't got a sympathetic bone in her body"

off the bone

• (of meat or fish) having had the bone or bones removed before being cooked, served, or sold.
"it was described on the menu as diced chicken breast off the bone marinated in spices"

on the bone

• (of meat or fish) having had the bone or bones left in before being cooked, served, or sold.
"they supply hams in the traditional way, on the bone"

on the bones of one's arse

• short of money.
"there's not a lot of money in that, and I didn't want to live on the bones of my arse"

point the bone at

• (of an Australian Aboriginal person) cast a spell on (someone) so as to cause their sickness or death, by means of a ceremony in which the victim is indicated with a special bone.

throw someone a bone

• do something to appease someone, typically by making a minor concession or helping them in a small way.
"the finance minister also threw first-time buyers a bone"

to the bone

• (of a wound) so deep as to expose a person's bone.
"his thigh had been axed open to the bone"

what's bred in the bone will come out in the flesh

• a person's behaviour or characteristics are determined by their heredity.

work one's fingers to the bone

• work very hard.
"Auntie can work her fingers to the bone, but it's Miss Green that gets the thanks"

bone noun [ bəʊn ]

bone verb

on the bone

bone `noun` [ bəʊn ]

bone `verb`