bəun n. & v. --n. 1
any of
the pieces of
hard tissue making up the
skeleton in vertebrates. 2 (in pl.) a the skeleton,
esp. as
remains after death. b the
body, esp. as a
seat of
intuitive feeling (felt it in my bones). 3 a the
material of
which bones
consist. b a
similar substance such as
ivory,
dentine, or
whalebone. 4 a
thing made of bone. 5 (in pl.) the
essential part of a thing (the
bare bones). 6 (in pl.) a
dice. b castanets. 7 a strip of stiffening in a
corset etc. --v. 1 tr.
take out the bones
from (meat or fish). 2 tr.
stiffen (a garment)
with bone etc. 3 tr.
Brit. sl.
steal. øbone
china fine china made of
clay mixed with the
ash from bones. bone-dry
quite dry. bone
idle (or lazy) utterly idle or
lazy. bone-meal crushed or ground bones used esp. as a fertilizer. bone of
contention a
source or ground of
dispute. bone-setter a
person who sets
broken or dislocated bones, esp.
without being a qualified
surgeon. bone
spavin see SPAVIN. bone up (often foll. by on) colloq.
study (a subject) intensively. close to (or near) the bone 1
tactless to the
point of offensiveness. 2
destitute; hard
up.
have a bone to pick (usu. foll. by with) have a
cause for dispute (with
another person).
make no bones
about 1
admit or
allow without
fuss. 2
not hesitate or
scruple. point the bone (usu. foll. by at)
Austral. 1
wish bad luck on. 2
cast a spell on in
order to
kill. to the bone 1 to the bare
minimum. 2 penetratingly.
work one's fingers to the bone work
very hard, esp. thanklessly. øøboneless adj. [OE
ban f. Gmc]
