boner

¹ American  

[boh-ner] / ˈboʊ nər /

noun

1. a person or thing that bones.

2. Slang: Vulgar. an erection of the penis.

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boner ² American  

[boh-ner] / ˈboʊ nər /

noun

Slang.

1. a foolish and obvious blunder; stupid mistake.

   Inviting both members of the newly divorced couple was a dreadful boner.

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boner British  

/ ˈbəʊnə /

noun

1. slang a blunder

2. slang an erection of the penis

3. a low-grade slaughtered animal suitable for use in pies, sausages, etc

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Etymology

Origin of boner¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; bone + -er ¹

Origin of boner²

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; bone(head) + -er ¹

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Explanation

A boner is an erection. It's also a word for mistake. Either way, you probably want to hide your boner. This is a very slangy word that is not fit for many situations. No one really wants to hear "I have a boner!" or "I made a boner!" — especially because the "erection" meaning has kind of overshadowed the "mistake" meaning. If you mess up, you're better off with a word like goof, flub, blunder, or snafu. Those words are all kind of fun, and they won't get you in any more trouble than you're already in for making a boner.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

boner

Sen. Mc Carthy in turn has pulled the boner of questioning, by inference, the President's enmity to Communism.

From Time Magazine Archive

New to politics, new to public affairs, he made many a boner.

From Time Magazine Archive

In August 1939, Pundit Kaltenborn confesses, he made a prize boner.

From Time Magazine Archive

That seemed just as pleasing to Congress, just as appeasing to business, as correcting a bad boner in the Social Security Act.

From Time Magazine Archive

Sixteen years went by before the Lewis brothers, one a butcher, the other a beef boner, became the first black hires in the Yard.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

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