hone
/hoʊn/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.17 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
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.
noun
A machine tool used in the manufacture of precision bores.
Example Sentences
- "He also honed the procedure known as cut and fill - whereby the spoil from railway cuttings was used to build up embankments."
- "Huh? Training in your room under the torchlight / Hone that form to get you ready for the big fight"
- "Such tunges ſhuld be torne out by the harde rootes,"
- "He lies pitying himself, honing and moaning to himself"
- "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!"
Etymology
From Middle English hon (“whetstone”), from Old English hān, from Proto-Germanic *hainō (compare Dutch heen, Norwegian hein), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱeh₃i- (“to sharpen”) (compare Ancient Greek κῶνος (kônos, “cone”), Persian سان (sân, “whetstone”)).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /hoʊn/
- British English: /həʊn/
Usage
- Transitive verb
- British usage
- American usage
- Intransitive verb