hone

¹

[hohn]

verb (used with object)

honed, honing 

1. to make more acute or effective; improve; perfect.

   to hone one's skills.

2. to sharpen on a whetstone with a fine, compact texture.

   to hone a carving knife.

3. to enlarge or finish (a hole) using a precision tool with a mechanically rotated abrasive tip.

noun

1. a whetstone of fine, compact texture for sharpening razors and other cutting tools.

2. a precision tool with a mechanically rotated abrasive tip, for enlarging holes to precise dimensions.

hone

²

[hohn]

verb (used without object)

honed, honing 

1. South Midland and Southern U.S.,  to yearn; long.

   to hone for the farm life; to hone after peach pie.

2. Archaic.,  to moan and groan.

hone

¹

/ həʊn /

noun

1. a fine whetstone, esp for sharpening razors

2. a tool consisting of a number of fine abrasive slips held in a machine head, rotated and reciprocated to impart a smooth finish to cylinder bores, etc

verb

1. (tr) to sharpen or polish with or as if with a hone

hone

²

/ həʊn /

verb

1. to yearn or pine

2. to moan or grieve

Usage

Hone is sometimes wrongly used where home is meant: this device makes it easier to home in on (not hone in on ) the target

Other Word Forms

• honer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hone¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English noun hone, hain “whetstone”; Old English hān “stone, boundary stone, rock”; cognate with Old Norse hein “hone”; akin to cone

Origin of hone²

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Anglo-French honer (unrecorded); Old French hogner “to grumble, growl,” from Germanic; compare Old Saxon hōnian “to abuse, revile”

Word History and Origins

Origin of hone¹

Old English hān stone; related to Old Norse hein

Origin of hone²

C17: from Old French hogner to growl, probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German hōnen to revile

Example Sentences

“That was when I honed in on everything.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He tweaked the algorithm honed over decades to favor fanboy cranks who promoted his cars, space colonization dreams and white supremacist fantasies.

Read more on Salon

The tariff war with the U.S. has added urgency to Beijing’s goal of making China technologically autonomous and honing its manufacturing prowess.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

As wise Maine Sen. James Blaine, Bradley Whitford exudes a convincing, quiet authority, honed over those years working in the pretend White House on “The West Wing.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Katie’s vocals are more confident, honed on the road over the past few years, and she sings from a mature and clear-eyed perspective.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• whet