Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

make one's bones

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.05 in modern English

Syllables: make one's bones
IPA

21

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

1

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To commit a murder in order to be respected in a criminal gang.

verb

To establish one's bona fides; to establish status and respect.

Example Sentences

"Mario Cacciatore was fourteen when he made his bones."
"Politicians—good ones, at least—make their bones by knowing which way the wind is blowing."
"Wearing, Brown and Hume all made their bones in an era when contemporary art fought for attention and had to insist it mattered – when in Britain, at least, it seemed cutting edge to like it at all."

Inflected Forms

makes one's bones (present, singular) making one's bones (participle, present) made one's bones (participle, past) made one's bones (past)

Phrases

cut one's teeth

Frequently Paired Words

cut one's teeth

Questions

What does make one's bones mean?: To commit a murder in order to be respected in a criminal gang.

How to pronounce make one's bones

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