hone
1[ hohn ]
/ hoʊn /
|
noun
a whetstone of fine, compact texture for sharpening razors and other cutting tools.
a precision tool with a mechanically rotated abrasive tip, for enlarging holes to precise dimensions.
verb (used with object), honed, hon·ing.
to sharpen on a hone: to hone a carving knife.
to enlarge or finish (a hole) with a hone.
to make more acute or effective; improve; perfect: to hone one's skills.
RELATED CONTENT
Hone In vs. Home InDoes a plane home in on a target or hone in on it? Does a musician hone her skills or home them? Are these two verbs interchangeable or do they have discrete meanings? Today we explore the origins and uses of hone and home. Hone entered English as a noun for a pointed rock used as a landmark. In the 1400s, it began to be …
The Mind-Bending Stroop Effect: Don’t Read These Words!WARNING: Your brain is about to experience conflict and interference, while executing a suspiciously mundane task. Do not scoff. Different-colored words will slow down your mental processing, and there’s almost nothing you can do about it—except read the rest of this article to learn more. You are at the mercy of . . . the Stroop effect! Get ready: The following is a group of words, written …
Nearby words
hond., honda, hondo, honduran, honduras, hone, honecker, honecker, erich, honegger, honegger, arthur, honer
Origin of hone
1before 950; Middle English (noun); Old English hān stone, rock; cognate with Old Norse hein hone; akin to cone
Related formshon·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for honer
British Dictionary definitions for honer (1 of 2)
hone
1/ (həʊn) /
noun
a fine whetstone, esp for sharpening razors
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
(tr) to sharpen or polish with or as if with a hone
Word Origin for hone
Old English hān stone; related to Old Norse hein
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
British Dictionary definitions for honer (2 of 2)
hone
2/ (həʊn) /
verb (intr) dialect
(often foll by for or after) to yearn or pine
to moan or grieve
Word Origin for hone
C17: from Old French hogner to growl, probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German hōnen to revile
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012