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stone definition

stone (stōn)

noun

  1. the hard, solid, nonmetallic mineral matter of which rock is composed
  2. a piece of rock of relatively small size
  3. a piece of rock shaped or finished for some purpose; specif.,
    1. a large, solid piece used in building; also, such pieces collectively
    2. a paving block
    3. a gravestone or memorial
    4. a boundary mark or milestone
    5. a grindstone or whetstone
  4. something that resembles a small stone; specif.,
    1. a hailstone
    2. the stonelike seed of certain fruits, as of a date
    3. the hard endocarp and the enclosed seed of a drupe, as of a peach
    4. Archaic a testicle
  5. precious stone
  6. pl. stoneBrit. a unit of weight, equal to 14 pounds (6.3503 kilograms): abbrev. st
  7. Med. an abnormal stony mass formed in the body, esp. in a kidney or gallbladder
    1. Printing a table with a smooth top, originally of stone, on which page forms are composed
    2. a surface incised or engraved with a design or text to be lithographed

Etymology: ME < OE stan, akin to Du steen, Ger stein < IE base *stāi-, to become thick, compress, stiffen > L stiria, a drop (< stilla), Gr stear, tallow

transitive verb stoned, stoning ston′·ing

  1. to throw stones at; esp., to kill by pelting with stones
  2. to furnish, pave, line, etc. with stones
  3. to polish, sharpen, etc. with a stone
  4. to remove the stone from (a peach, cherry, etc.)

adjective

  1. of stone or stoneware
  2. Etymology: cf. stone-

    Slang complete, utter, thoroughgoing, etc. a stone genius

adverb

completely, thoroughly, etc. stone sober

Related Forms:

stone Idioms

leave no stone unturned

to do everything possible
Stone definition

Stone (stōn)

  1. Stone, Edward Durell (də rel) 1902-78; U.S. architect
  2. Stone, Harlan Fiske 1872-1946; U.S. jurist: chief justice of the U.S. (1941-46)
  3. Stone, Lucy (Mrs. Henry Brown Blackwell) 1818-93; U.S. reformer & suffragist

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