hone
see also: Hone
Pronunciation
  • (America) IPA: /hoʊn/
  • (RP) IPA: /həʊn/
Etymology 1

From Middle English hon, from Old English hān, from Proto-Germanic *hainō (compare Dutch heen, Norwegian hein), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱeh₃i- (compare Ancient Greek κῶνος, Persian سان).

Noun

hone (plural hones)

  1. A sharpening stone composed of extra-fine grit used for removing the burr or curl from the blade of a razor or some other edge tool.
  2. A machine tool used in the manufacture of precision bores.
Translations Translations Verb

hone (hones, present participle honing; simple past and past participle honed)

  1. (transitive) To sharpen with a hone; to whet.
  2. (transitive) To use a hone to produce a precision bore.
  3. (transitive) To refine or master (a skill).
  4. To make more acute, intense, or effective.
Translations Translations Translations Translations Etymology 2

Cognate with Icelandic hnúður. Distantly related to knot.

Noun

hone (plural hones)

  1. A kind of swelling in the cheek.
Verb

hone (hones, present participle honing; simple past and past participle honed)

  1. (UK, US, southern US, dialect, intransitive) To grumble.
    • c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c.:
      Such tunges ſhuld be torne out by the harde rootes,
      Hoyning like hogges that groynis and wrotes.
  2. (UK, US, southern US, dialect) To pine, lament, or long.
    • 1823, Elia [pseudonym; Charles Lamb], Elia. Essays which have Appeared under that Signature in The London Magazine, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC ↗:
      He lies pitying himself, honing and moaning to himself
Interjection
  1. Synonym of alas Used to express sorrow, or grief
    • 1836, Joanna Baillie, Witchcraft, Act 4, page 141
      Oh, hone! oh, hone! miserable wretch that I am! Do ye mak confession for me, Sir, and I'll say 't after you, as weel as I dow. Oh, hone! oh, hone!

Hone
Proper noun
  1. Surname.



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