plural
bones
plural
bones
Britannica Dictionary definition of BONE
1
[count]
:
any one of the hard pieces that form the frame (called a skeleton) inside a person's or animal's body
—
sometimes used figuratively
-
He doesn't have a selfish/jealous bone in his body. [=he is not selfish/jealous at all]
-
My bones are aching from working in the garden.
-
My aching bones! [=my body is tired and sore]
-
I'll be glad to have a chance to rest my weary bones.
-
He knew in his bones [=knew in his heart; had a strong feeling] that he was wrong.
-
She felt in her bones [=she sensed very strongly] that nothing had changed.
—
see also bag of bones, bare bones, funny bone
2
[noncount]
:
the hard material that bones are made of
bone to pick
informal
:
something to argue or complain about with someone
—
usually + with
close to the bone
—
see 2close
make no bones about
:
to be very sure and definite about (something)
-
Make no bones about the seriousness of the matter.
-
He made no bones about his plans to cut expenses.
-
Make no bones about it —we will win.
off the bone
:
with the meat removed from the bone or bones
on the bone
:
with the meat connected to the bone or bones
skin and bones
—
see 1skin
throw (someone) a bone
informal
:
to offer (someone) something that is not very important or valuable especially to stop complaints or protests
work your fingers to the bone
—
see 1finger
— boneless
/ˈboʊnləs/
adjective
2
bone
/ˈboʊn/
verb
bones;
boned;
boning
bones;
boned;
boning
Britannica Dictionary definition of BONE
[+ object]
:
to remove the bones from (a fish or meat)
:
debone
-
bone a fish
-
bone a chicken breast
bone up
[phrasal verb]
informal
1
:
to try to learn a lot of information quickly for a test, exam, etc.
2
:
to study something again
—
usually + on
3
bone
/ˈboʊn/
adverb
Britannica Dictionary definition of BONE
always used before an adjective
:
extremely or very
:
completely or totally
-
bone tired/lazy/idle
-
The air is bone dry.
—
often used in combination