Holystone Definition

hōlē-stōn
holystoned, holystones, holystoning
noun
A large, flat piece of sandstone used for scouring a ship's wooden decks.
Webster's New World
verb
To scrub or scour with a piece of soft sandstone.
American Heritage
To scour with a holystone.
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Holystone

Noun

Singular:
holystone
Plural:
holystones

Origin of Holystone

  • Uncertain, but likely from the fact that scrubbing is done while down on one's knees, just as in prayer.

    From Wiktionary

  • Perhaps from a sailor's kneeling position while scouring with the stone

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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holystone