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bone definition

bone (bōn)

noun

  1. any of the separate parts of the hard connective tissue forming the skeleton of most full-grown vertebrate animals
  2. this tissue, composed essentially of living cells embedded in hard calcium compounds
  3. the skeleton
  4. the body, living or dead
  5. a bonelike substance or part, as whalebone
  6. a thing made of bone or of bonelike material; specif.,
    1. a corset stay
    2. Informal dice
    1. flat sticks used as clappers in minstrel shows
    2. ☆ an end man in a minstrel show
  8. bone white

Etymology: ME bon < OE ban, bone, esp. of a limb, akin to Ger bein, a leg; only Gmc

transitive verb boned, boning bon′·ing

  1. to remove the bones from
  2. to put whalebone or other stiffening into
  3. to fertilize with bone meal

intransitive verb

☆ to study hard and hurriedly, as in preparation for an examination; cram: usually with up
bone Idioms

feel in one's bones

☆
to have an intuition or presentiment

have a bone to pick

Informal to have something to quarrel or complain about

make no bones about

Informal
  1. to make no attempt to hide; admit freely
  2. to have no objection to or qualms about

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