bones
/boʊnz/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.32 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A percussive folk musical instrument played as a pair in one hand, often made from bovine ribs.
noun
The framework or foundation of something.
name
A surname.
Example Sentences
- "The house don't fall when the bones are good."
- "“Mom, when you look around the house, what do you see?” “Walls. Just a lot of walls.” “[Scoffs] Walls. What a noob. What do we see, Jeff, you and I?” “When I look at a house, I can see beyond the walls...” “Uh-huh.” “....above the ceiling...” “That's right.” “...and below the floor.” “Bingo.” “I can see its bones.” “Happy now, Francine?” “If we combine his instincts with your money, the sky's the limit.” “The sky, you say?” “He's surveying the bones of our house.” “He is? Well, don't hold out on us, Jeff. What do you see?” “[Breathes deeply] Your house has great bones.” [Sighs] “Wow, he's good.”"
- "“There's gotta be another place on this giant property I could stash these shoes. How about that barn out back?” “You want to put your expensive sneakers in some dilapidated old barn?” “Yeah, it's old, but it's got good bones. And it's actually got a solid roof to it.”"
- "And then the door swung wide upon its hinges, and Bones - our surgeon - Dr. Sawin, outside the service - broke into the room with his favorite greeting: “Hello, inside! Never mind the guard!"
Etymology
From sawbones.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /boʊnz/
- British English: /bəʊnz/
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Music.