Notes on "Bone" from Dictionary.com

Pronunciation

• bohn

Noun Definitions

1. Anatomy, Zoology
   • Structures composing the skeleton of a vertebrate
   • Hard connective tissue made of collagen, calcium, phosphate, and minerals
2. Edible bone from animals, often with meat
   • E.g., Pea soup made with a ham bone
3. Hard animal substances similar to bone (e.g., ivory, whalebone)
4. Items resembling bone
5. Small concession or bribe
   • E.g., Government throws a bone to protesters
6. Bones (plural)
   • Skeleton, body
   • In games slang, refers to dice
   • Rhythm instrument made of bars clacked together
7. Color resembling bone; ivory or off-white
8. Strip for stiffening clothing like corsets
9. In games slang, refers to a domino

Verb Definitions

1. Remove bones from food
2. Insert whalebone or stiffeners into clothing
3. Slang, Vulgar: Engage in sexual intercourse
4. Use bone meal in agriculture

Adverbial Use

• "Bone tired" indicates extreme fatigue

Word History and Origins

• Old English: bn
• Related languages: Old Norse, Old Frisian, Old High German, etc.

Idioms and Phrases

1. Bone up: Study intensely
2. Feel in one's bones: Intuition
3. Have a bone to pick: Disagree or argue
4. Make no bones about:
   • Be direct
   • Have no scruples
5. To the bone:
   • Essentials
   • Extreme degree
6. More idioms:
   • Bare bones
   • Chilled to the bone
   • Cut to the bone
   • Funny bone
   • Work one's fingers to the bone

Derived Forms

• Boneless: Adjective

Example Sentences

• Context on bony fish, skeletal injuries, and historical references

Additional Observations

• Bone as a structure serves for muscle attachment and organ protection.
• Human skeleton contains 206 bones.

Discover More

• Synonyms, detailed definitions, and more can be explored on Dictionary.com's dedicated pages.